A linearized AC optimal power flow model based on a piecewise linear approximation along with a Taylor series

Abstract Optimal power flow (OPF) is a non-linear static programming problem that optimizes a specific objective function while satisfying network and equipment constraints. Nonlinear programming problems usually trap into local solutions and they do not guarantee finding a global optimal solution. The linearization of the OPF to solve such challenges have been the focus of researchers in most of the recent studies. In this article, a linear piecewise approximation along with Taylor's series approximation method to linearize the OPF equations (generation cost function and AC power flow equations). The proposed model is implemented on the IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 118-bus standard test systems. The effectiveness of the proposed method is compared with the ACOPF results implemented by MATPOWER. The obtained results show that the proposed linearized ACOPF method is very accurate as well as reaching to the global optimal solution is guaranteed.