Optimal Topology Transition

Abstract: Network topology has significant impacts on operational performance of power systems. While extensive research efforts have been devoted to optimization of network topology for improving various system performances, the problem of how to transition from the initial topology to the desired optimal topology requires study. To address this problem, we propose the concept of optimal topology transition (OTT). This aims to find the topology transition trajectory from an initial topology to a desired terminal topology, which optimizes certain transition performance and satisfies operational constraints. The OTT problem is further formulated as a mixed-integer program under certain assumptions. Next, we propose the formulation of transition-embedded topology optimization that is capable of optimizing network topology and its transition trajectory simultaneously. Considering the time complexity of directly solving the mixed-integer programs, an efficient problem-specific solution algorithm is developed. Finally, numerical studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed OTT and transition-embedded topology optimization models, as well as the superiority of the obtained optimal transition trajectories compared to ad hoc transition trajectories.