Reconfiguration of Power Distribution Network for Improvement of System Performance: A Critical Review

Energy usage has increased over time because of development in industry and technology. Demand for energy is increasing irrespective of the source. According to World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2022, it is expected to rise by 50% by 2040. When energy usage increases so does power loss. This is because the current traveling through the wires is increasing year after year, as energy demand rises. It is vital to decrease power losses at the distribution level in order to maximize the efficiency of distribution utilities. Increased demand necessitates the strengthening of existing distribution lines. Otherwise, there would be congestion, poor voltage control, and losses. However, that is an expensive venture. One of the successful strategies used by distribution utilities to decrease distribution system losses is network reconfiguration. Distribution network reconfiguration (DNRC) can help in a variety of ways. It can increase reliability and guarantee that only a small number of customers are affected by an outage. It can reduce power loss in the distribution network and increase system economics. It aids in load balancing, overload elimination, and power quality improvement. Multiple researchers have tried to use different strategies to tackle the power DNRC challenge. This article provides a thorough examination of network reconfiguration in order to provide a clear vision for future research.