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Operational performance in the low-voltage distribution network (LVDN) can be undermined by its inherent unbalances, which may become worse as the penetration of rooftop solar continuously increases. To address this issue, load balancing via phase-reconfiguration devices (PRDs), which can change phase positions of residential customers as required, provides a cost-efficient option. However, most reported approaches to control PRDs require that demands of all residential customers are available, which are not viable for many LVDNs without smart meters or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) installed. To bridging the gap in this field, this paper proposes a novel method to control PRDs purely based on measurable data from PRDs, and its controller. Based on limited information, sensitivity analysis in the network with PRDs is studied, followed by the optimization model that comprehensively considers operational requirements in the network. Moreover, slack variables are introduced to the model, and penalized in the objective function to assure either a strategy that is secure or with minimized violations can always be provided. The model is a challenging mixed-integer non-convex programming (MINCP) problem, which is reformulated as an efficient solvable mixed-integer second-order cone programming (MISOCP) based on exact reformulations or accurate linear approximations. Simulations based on two modified IEEE systems, and a real system in Australia demonstrate that an efficient strategy can be provided to mitigate unbalances in the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancements of the battery energy storage systems (BESSs), reduction of their manufacturing costs and government subsidies, the BESS uptake is likely to increase rapidly in power distribution networks. This paper investigates the effects of residential BESSs on low-voltage (LV) networks using the actual household load profiles equipped with BESS and solar-photovoltaic (PV) systems. The electricity consumption data collected via smart meters (2200 households with PV/BESS, 1950 households with PV only and 1000 households without a PV or a BESS) at different solar-PV penetration levels and network types are used to simulate real network operating scenarios. A real LV distribution network in Australia is analysed in DIgSILENT PowerFactory under different scenarios, such as, customers with and without a solar-PV/BESS, with a solar-PV but without a BESS, and without a solar-PV, by using both the power flow and quasi-dynamic simulation studies under balanced and the unbalanced network loading conditions. According to the study, customers experience large voltage excursions from solar-PV power exports, which could be resolved by the household BESS, provided that the BESS charging is coordinated with the solar-PV production. Moreover, quasi-dynamic simulation shows that the BESS could reduce the violation of the over-voltage limit during the solar peak hours (midday) by lowering the worst-case feeder voltage by 3%. Finally, extreme-event (high solar PV generation scenario) simulation shows that the implementation of the BESS controller to facilitate charging BESS during afternoon solar-PV export may reduce the negative grid impact and will assist to avoid network upgrades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]