Path-Relinking algorithm applied to transmission system expansion planning problem

Abstract

A methodology to solve the long-term transmission expansion planning problem using the path re-linking algorithm is presented. This methodology starts with the elite configurations obtained from the results of the optimization using efficient metaheuristic algorithms in order to reach better results. This algorithm has showed a very good performance when is used in high mathematical complexity problems. In this work the Tabu Search (TS) algorithm is used to find the initial set of elite configurations. The results show the potentiality of the path re-linking algorithm to find high quality alternative solutions. As a test system the North-Northeast Brazilian power system which is consider as one of the most difficult power system is used. The optimal solutions of this test system, reported in the specialized literacy are improved when the proposed methodology is used.

Keywords

• path-relinking
• expansion planning
• metaheuristic
• optimization
• tabu search
• transmission network