Adaptive Energy Management System with Integrated Voltage Regulation and Voltage Imbalance Mitigation for Active Distribution Networks †

Abstract High penetration of inverter‐based resources (IBRs), such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, increases voltage deviations and phase voltage imbalance in distribution networks due to intermittent generation and asymmetric phase connections. This study proposes an adaptive energy management system (EMS) framework that integrates voltage regulation and voltage imbalance mitigation within a scalable hierarchical architecture for active distribution networks. Voltage regulation is achieved using sensitivity‐based control of conventional voltage regulators. In addition, a voltage‐imbalance mitigation function is embedded in the regulator control logic using locally computed phase‐voltage unbalance indicators (e.g., PVUR/VUF), enabling both coordinated and decentralized corrective tap actions with minimal communication requirements. Case studies on the IEEE 123‐node test feeder, a highly unbalanced distribution feeder under realistic PV generation profiles, demonstrate that conventional voltage regulation alone is insufficient to mitigate voltage imbalance. The proposed PVUR‐based control significantly reduces voltage imbalance while maintaining acceptable voltage profiles. Furthermore, the decentralized implementation achieves performance comparable to that of the coordinated solution while reducing communication and coordination requirements. The proposed framework relies solely on conventional voltage regulators and local voltage measurements, providing a practical foundation for future extensions, including inverter coordination, optimal dispatch, energy storage integration, and forecasting‐based control. © 2026 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.