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This paper proposes the optimal planning of soft starter characteristics for a large drain motor based on simulated annealing (SA). First, the planning of the soft starter characteristics is formulated as an optimization problem with minimal motor starting time; then, the constraints of the motor starting energy, power quality requirements, and minimal cost of transmission line are constructed. The system framework of an actual case in Taiwan is used as the basis of this study with simulation. Before and after the installation of three sets of soft starters, measuring instruments are used in the field to investigate the changes of current and voltage during the motor starting, thus establishing the database of current swell and voltage sag. The searching algorithm based on the SA method is developed by the program MATLAB, such that the soft starter can regulate the minimal motor starting time and meet the above-mentioned constraints. According to the model of the system circuit and the characteristic parameters constructed by an actual case, the simulation results verify the superiority of the proposed SA method. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]