Multi-Objective VAR Dispatch Using Particle Swarm Optimization

Reactive Power Dispatch (RPD) is one of the important tasks in the operation and control of power system. The objective is to apply Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm for arriving optimal settings of RPD problem control variables. Incorporation of PSO as a derivative free optimization technique in solving RPD problem significantly relieves the assumptions imposed on the optimized objective functions. The proposed algorithm has been applied to find the optimal reactive power control variables in IEEE 30-bus system and in a practical Indian power system with different objectives that reflect loss minimization, voltage profile improvement and voltage stability enhancement. The results of this approach have been compared with the results of Genetic Algorithm (GA). The results are promising and show the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach.