This paper presents a multi-stage model for the problem of power distribution expansion planning. The expansion model considers the increase of substation capacities, installation of new substations and several alternatives for the feeders (enlargement, removing, merging, splitting, load transfer and conductor replacement). The objective function takes into account the present value of the total installation costs (feeders and substations) and the network operation and maintenance costs. The model also considers the operational constraints, concerning the equipment capacities and voltage limits, and logical constraints used to reduce the search space. In addition, the paper presents: (a) an extension of the linear disjunctive formulation, making possible the inclusion, exclusion and the replacement of the initial configuration branches; (b) a generalization of new paths constraints useful for complex network topologies. With the proposed mixed linear integer model the optimal solution can be achieved by means of mathematical programming methods, like the branch-and-bound algorithm. The validation and the efficiency of the proposed model are based on a medium voltage distribution network taken as an example of application.
power distribution; power distribution planning; power distribution economics
