A Practical Operational Framework for Congestion Management in Active Distribution Networks Using Adaptive Radial–Mesh Reconfiguration

The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs), electric vehicles (EVs), and dynamic loads introduces significant operational challenges in modern distribution networks, including voltage violations, reverse power flows, and congestion. Distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) is widely used to improve network performance; however, most existing approaches focus primarily on radial topology optimization and rarely consider practical switching feasibility or adaptive transitions between radial and meshed configurations. This paper proposes an operational framework for congestion management based on adaptive radial–mesh reconfiguration. The framework integrates radial network optimization, temporary mesh reinforcement for congestion mitigation, and safe switching sequence validation to ensure operational feasibility. A comprehensive operational cost model incorporating power losses, time-of-use energy imports, switching operations, and on-load tap-changer actions is also developed. The proposed method is validated on a real 22 kV distribution feeder operated by the Provincial Electricity Authority in Thailand. The results demonstrate that the framework effectively mitigates congestion and reduces operational costs by 1.57–9.18% relative to baseline operation, highlighting its practical applicability in active distribution networks.