Optimal placement of TCSC and SVC for reactive power planning using Whale optimization algorithm.

In the present work, Whale optimization algorithm (WOA), Differential evolution (DE), Grey wolf optimization (GWO), Quasi-opposition based Differential Evolution (QODE) and Quasi-opposition based Grey wolf optimization (QOGWO) algorithm has been applied for the solution of reactive power planning with FACTS devices i.e., Thyristor controlled series compensator (TCSC) and Static Var compensator (SVC). WOA is a recently developed nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm based on hunting behaviour of Humpback Whales; DE is a stochastic real-parameter optimization technique comprising of genetic parameters namely - mutation & cross-over; and GWO is a nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm based on hunting behaviour of Grey wolf. Standard IEEE 30 and IEEE 57 bus test system has been adopted for the testing purposes. Location of TCSC has been determined by the power flow analysis method and location of SVC has been determined by the voltage collapse proximity indication (VCPI) method. Further, WOA, GWO, DE, QODE and QOGWO algorithms have been applied to find the optimal setting of all control variables including TCSC, the series type and SVC, the shunt kind of FACTS device in the test system which minimizes active power loss and system operating cost while maintaining voltage profile within permissible limit. The superiority of the proposed WOA technique has been illustrated by comparing the results obtained with all other techniques discussed in the present problem. ANOVA test has also been conducted to show the statistical analysis between different techniques. The proposed approach shows lesser number of iterations which does not gets trapped in the local minima and offers promising convergence characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]