Location-Invariant Assessment of Flexibility Potential under Distribution System Reconfiguration

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new AC-constrained method to evaluate how distribution system reconfiguration affects flexibility potential, considering network limits and topology changes, to aid system operators.

Contribution

It presents a novel, location-invariant measure called LI-FP to assess flexibility potential under reconfiguration, enhancing transparency and operational decision-making.

Findings

Reconfiguration can significantly enhance operational flexibility.

The proposed method explicitly considers radial operation constraints.

LI-FP provides a consistent measure of flexibility regardless of topology changes.

Abstract

The growing integration of renewable and decentralized generation increases the need for flexibility in distribution systems. This flexibility, typically represented in a PQ capability curve, is constrained by network limits and topology. Distribution system reconfiguration (DSR) introduces additional degrees of freedom through switching actions. This paper proposes an AC-constrained methodology to assess flexibility under network reconfiguration, explicitly considering radial operation. The impact of topology changes on PQ capability curves, which serve as a measure of flexibility potential, is analyzed. To that end, a novel measure called location-invariant flexibility potential (LI-FP) is introduced. Results show that reconfiguration can significantly influence and improve operational flexibility. The approach presented enables transparency for system operators, facilitating improved coordination of flexibility providers.