A Novel Formulation of LV Distribution Network Equivalents for Reliability Analysis

Reliability analysis of large power networks often requires aggregate models of low voltage (LV) networks to allow for reasonable calculation complexity and to prevent long computational times. However, commonly used lumped load models neglect the differences in spatial distribution of demand, type of phase-connection of served customers and implemented protection system components (e.g., single-pole vs three-pole). This paper proposes a novel use of state enumeration (SE) and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) techniques to formulate LV network reliability equivalents with improved accuracy. The combination of SE and MCS is illustrated using a generic suburban LV test network, which is realistically represented by a reduced number of system states. This approach would allow power utilities for much faster and more accurate reliability assessments, where further reduction of system states results in a single-component equivalent with the same unavailability as the original LV network. Both mean values and probability distributions of standard reliability indices are calculated, where errors associated with the use of single-line models, as opposed to more detailed three-phase models, are quantified.