System and method for optimal power grid reactive resource switching

A computer-implemented method for power grid reactive resource switching, the computer-implemented method comprising:

• periodically running power flow for each of plural time intervals from a current time interval to a future time interval;
• asynchronously and in concert with running the power flow, periodically formulating and solving a representative mixed integer linear programming (MILP) optimization problem for maintaining voltage within limits of interest, resulting in an optimal reactive resource switching solution;
• and
• based on the optimal reactive resource switching solution, providing at least one output toward switching in/out reactive resources of a subject power grid,
• wherein the optimal reactive resource switching solution represents at least one control for switching in/out the reactive resources and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:
• periodically monitoring at least one parameter of the subject power grid and identifying at least one voltage outside the limits of interest at a respective point of interest in the subject power grid based on the at least one parameter monitored;
• and
• converging on the at least one control to resolve the at least one voltage identified as outside of the limits of interest by periodically formulating and solving the representative MILP optimization problem and, in the instances where the representative MILP optimization problem fails to solve, employing a fallback rule-based method for maintaining voltage close to within the limits of interest.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for power grid reactive resource switching, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a sequence of instructions which, when loaded and executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:

• periodically run power flow for each of plural time intervals from a current time interval to a future time interval;
• asynchronously and in concert with running the power flow, periodically formulate and solve a representative mixed integer linear programming (MILP) optimization problem for maintaining voltage within limits of interest, resulting in an optimal reactive resource switching solution;
• and
• based on the optimal reactive resource switching solution, provide at least one output toward switching in/out reactive resources of a subject power grid,
• wherein the optimal reactive resource switching solution represents at least one control for switching in/out the reactive resources and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises:
• periodically monitoring at least one parameter of the subject power grid and identifying at least one voltage outside the limits of interest at a respective point of interest in the subject power grid based on the at least one parameter monitored;
• and
• converging on the at least one control to resolve the at least one voltage identified as outside of the limits of interest by periodically formulating and solving the representative MILP optimization problem and, in the instances where the representative MILP optimization problem fails to solve, employing a fallback rule-based method for maintaining voltage close to within the limits of interest.