Reactive Power Compensation and Power Loss Reduction using Optimal Capacitor Placement

This paper presents an optimal capacitor allocation method that uses the modified Honey Bee Mating Optimization Algorithm (HBMO) for primary distribution systems. In this practice, a capacitor allocation approach is applied to improve voltage profile and reduce power loss under constant and varying load conditions. The problem formulation of capacitor allocation includes determining the location, type, and size of the capacitor. It is a combinatorial optimization problem with the objective function composed of the cost of power loss and capacitor installation subject to bus voltage constraints. The HBMO technique can provide a globally optimum solution. Various scale application systems are used to compare the proposed method's performance with the other references to achieve an optimal or near-optimal solution. Numerical results verify the proposed algorithm's effectiveness and validate an improved performance compared to the reported literature.