A branch-and-bound algorithm for radial distribution system reconfiguration

This work presents a branch-and-bound structured algorithm to solve the electrical power distribution system reconfiguration (DSR) problem, whose primary objective is to find a radial network topology that minimizes active power losses. This proposal works independently of a formal mathematical model for the DSR problem, which is a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model. After obtaining a high-quality initial solution with a constructive heuristic algorithm, the proposed algorithm applies four distinct search movements within the branch-and-bound structure to efficiently fathom the vast solution space. The algorithm’s performance is validated using the 33-, 69-, 84-, and 118-bus systems. Results demonstrate that the proposed technique consistently identifies the best-known optimal solution for all cases while drastically reducing the search space. For the 84- and 118-bus system, the algorithm explored a minuscule fraction of the search space to find the optimal topology, showcasing its exceptional efficiency and scalability for solving complex DSR problems. • A novel branch-and-bound structure for network reconfiguration. • Finds the optimal topology without a formal mathematical model. • Specialized search movements drastically reduce the solution space. • Consistently identifies optimal topologies in benchmark systems.