A computational approach to voltage stability enhancement and loss reduction in distribution systems using PSO-optimized STATCOM and DG

Abstract

Abstract Voltage stability enhancement and loss reduction present critical challenges in modern power distribution networks. This study develops a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based multi-objective framework for optimal sizing and placement of Distributed Generation (DG) units and Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) in radial distribution systems. The research contributes a comprehensive methodology that simultaneously maximizes voltage stability index (VSI), enhances voltage profiles, and minimizes power losses through intelligent optimization. The proposed approach is validated on real 35-bus and 53-bus radial distribution systems from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, demonstrating significant improvements: VSI enhancement from 0.8083 to 0.840 p.u. (3.96% improvement) and power loss reduction from 150.28 kW to 27.65 kW (81.59% reduction) for the 35-bus system. The 53-bus system achieves VSI improvement from 0.61 to 0.84 p.u. (37.7% enhancement) and loss reduction from 612.43 kW to 121.43 kW (80.17% reduction). Contributions include: (i) joint optimization of DG and STATCOM placement considering multiple objectives, (ii) validation on real distribution feeders with practical constraints, and (iii) comprehensive performance analysis demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated device deployment.