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Bi-Level Phase Load Balancing Methodology with Clustering-Based Consumers’ Selection Criterion for Switching Device Placement in Low Voltage Distribution Networks

In the last years, the distribution network operators (DNOs) assumed transition strategies of the electric distribution networks (EDNs) towards the active areas of the microgrids where, regardless of the operating regimes, flexibility, economic efficiency, low power losses, and high power quality are ensured. Artificial intelligence techniques, combined with the smart devices and real-time remote communication solutions of the enormous data amounts, can represent the starting point in establishing decision-making strategies to solve one of the most important challenges related to phase load balancing (PLB). In this context, the purpose of the paper is to prove that a decision-making strategy based on a limited number of PLB devices installed at the consumers (small implementation degree) leads to similar technical benefits as in the case of full implementation in the EDNs. Thus, an original bi-level PLB methodology, considering a clustering-based selection criterion of the consumers for placement of the switching devices, was proposed. A real EDN from a rural area belonging to a Romanian DNO has been considered in testing the proposed methodology. An implementation degree of the PLB devices in the EDN by 17.5% represented the optimal solution, leading to a faster computational time with 43% and reducing the number of switching operations by 92%, compared to a full implementation degree (100%). The performance indicators related to the unbalance factor and energy-saving highlighted the efficiency of the proposed methodology.