A Variable Neighborhood Descent Algorithm for the Service Restoration Problem of Radial Distribution Systems

This paper presents a variable neighborhood descent (VND) algorithm for the service restoration problem (SRP) in distribution systems. The restoration problem appears when a permanent fault occurs in the system. The fault must be localized and isolated from the rest of the system. As a consequence of the isolation, the downstream area is de-energized and requires restoration. The VND algorithm features its ability to solve the SRP for radial distribution systems and introduces a strategy that helps to deal with the system’s radiality. Tests are performed using a 53-node test system. The results show that the proposed algorithm can efficiently solve the SRP in a distribution system, and as a deterministic algorithm, the results can be used to help non-deterministic algorithms.