Placement of Distributed Generation and Shunt Capacitor in Distribution Network using Cuckoo Search Algorithm

This work aims at reduction in active and reactive power loss reduction in distribution networks as well as to improve the voltage stability of the networks. Optimum Distributed Generation (DG) placement and sizing is carried out in conjunction with shunt capacitor placement and sizing to determine the appropriate sizes of DG units and Capacitor banks to be placed in the networks so as not to violate certain constraints. The optimal sizes of the DG units and capacitor banks were obtained on application of a Cuckoo Search Optimization Algorithm while computations for Voltage stability was performed using the Voltage Stability Index (VSI). The obtained optimal sizes of DG units and Capacitors were individually and simultaneously placed on the distribution networks to ascertain the behaviour of the networks prior to and after their placements. The performance factors considered are power loss and voltage stability. A comparison of these performance factors under separate and simultaneous placement method was demonstrated using IEEE 33 and 69 test buses. Result show that power loss (active and reactive) reduced by 63.29% and 59.38% respectively for 33 bus system, with a 74.29% and 79.19% reduction on 69 bus system. Voltage stability also increased by 7.89% and 3.79% respectively for 33 and 69 bus system relative to values obtained for base case and separate DG and shunt capacitor placement. Keywords: Distributed generation, shunt capacitor, Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CSA), power loss and voltage stability.