Dispatch of capacitors on distribution system using dynamic programming

The dispatch of capacitors on a distribution feeder in daily system operation is investigated. The objective is to reach an optimal capacitor dispatching schedule, based on the forecast hourly loads for the next day, such that the total feeder loss in a day is minimised. The constraints that must be taken into account include the maximum allowable number of switching operations in a day for each capacitor, and the voltage limits on the feeder. An approach based on dynamic programming is presented to reach such an optimal schedule. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the dispatch of capacitors on a distribution feeder within the service area of Taipei West District Office of Taiwan Power Company is investigated. It is concluded that a greater loss reduction can be achieved by the optimal capacitor dispatch than by the fixed-schedule dispatch.