Abstract
In this paper, two-layered neighborhood tabu search is proposed to deal with distribution network expansion planning with distributed generation (DG). The distribution network expansion planning aims at optimizing the route of feeders and allocation of distribution substations while satisfying the constraints. The problem formulation results in a combinatorial optimization problem. In practice, it is quite hard to solve the problem due to the complexity. Recently, DG is widely spread in distribution systems due to the deregulated and competitive power markets. As a result, the distribution network expansion planning with DG becomes much harder. As a meta-heuristic method, tabu search is used to evaluate a better solution. This paper proposes a new method for solving it with two-layered neighborhood tabu search. The first layer deals with the optimal allocation of DG while the second one handles the optimal route of feeders and the optimal allocation of distribution substation. The effectiveness is demonstrated in a sample system.
