Transmission network expansion planning with security constraints based on bi-level linear programming

In deregulated power market, multiple conflicting objectives with many constraints should be balanced in transmission planning. The primary objective is to ensure the reliable supply to the demand as economically as possible. In this paper, a new bi-level linear programming model for transmission network expansion planning (TNEP) with security constraints has been proposed. The modeling improves traditional building style by adding reliability planning into economy planning as constraints, letting optimal planning strategy be more economic and highly reliable. A hybrid algorithm which integrates improved niching genetic algorithm and prime-dual interior point method is newly proposed to solve the TNEP based on bi-level programming. The advantages of the new methodology include (1) the highest reliability planning scheme can be acquired a economically as possible; (2) new model avoids the contradictions of conflicting objectives in TNFP, and explores new ideas for TNEP modeling (3) the proposed hybrid algorithm is able to solve bi-level programming and fully manifests the merits of two algorithms as well. Simulation result obtained from two well-known systems and comparison analysis reveal that the proposed methodology is valid. Copyright (C) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.