A differential evolution approach to optimal reactive power planning

This paper proposes an application of the Differential Evolution optimization algorithm to reactive power planning. This problem could be formulated mathematically as a nonlinear, non smooth, mixed-integer, multiobjective optimization problem. One of the objectives deals with the minimization of the real power losses that result in a reduction of the operational costs and improving the voltage profile across the system. The other objective minimizes the allocation of additional reactive power sources throughout the system. The proposed approach has been tested in a modified version of the IEEE 30-bus test system with satisfactory results. These results were compared with those obtained by another evolutionary computation technique (Evolutionary Programming).