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Impact Factor (2025): 6.9
DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET
Impact Factor (2025): 6.9
DOI Prefix: 10.47001/IRJIET
Vol 10 No 5 (2026): Volume 10, Issue 5, May 2026 | Pages: 814-825
International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology
OPEN ACCESS | Research Article | Published Date: 31-05-2026
Distribution Network Reconfiguration is an effective operational strategy for reducing power losses and improving service reliability in radial distribution systems. This paper presents a reliability study of 6-bus, 11 bus, and 14-bus radial distribution systems using the Branch Exchange Network Reconfiguration (BENR) technique. The primary objective is to enhance system reliability by identifying optimal switching operations that minimize power losses and improve service continuity while maintaining the radial structure of the network. The proposed methodology employs branch exchange-based network reconfiguration to modify feeder topology through the strategic opening and closing of sectionalizing and tie switches. Reliability performance is evaluated using standard reliability indices, including the effect of reconfiguration on customer-oriented reliability indices is evaluated using SAIFI, SAIDI, CAIDI, EENS, AENS, ASAI, and ASUI. For the 6-bus system, the active power loss is reduced from 0.6962 kW to 0.6450 kW, corresponding to a loss reduction of 7.35%. For the 11-bus system, the active power loss is reduced from 324.0249 kW to 319.7065 kW, corresponding to a loss reduction of 1.33%. For the 14-bus system, the active power loss is reduced from 511.4435 kW to 466.1354 kW, corresponding to a loss reduction of 8.86%. The reliability results also show notable improvements after reconfiguration. For the 6-bus system, SAIFI, SAIDI, and CAIDI improve by 4.83%, 6.76%, and 2.04%, respectively. For the 11-bus system, these indices improve by 4.23%, 6.18%, and 2.03%, respectively. For the 14-bus system, SAIFI, SAIDI, and CAIDI improve by 7.60%, 13.48%, and 6.36%, respectively. The EENS and AENS values are also reduced, while ASAI increases and ASUI decreases in all three systems. The comparative results confirm that the proposed reconfiguration method improves both operating efficiency and distribution reliability, with the 14-bus system showing the highest overall improvement due to greater switching flexibility.
Distribution network reconfiguration, radial distribution system, reliability indices, SAIFI, SAIDI, CAIDI, EENS, BIBC matrix, power-loss reduction.
Yugandhar Poola, N. Ravisankar Reddy, & M.Damodar Reddy. (2026). Reliability Enhancement of Radial Distribution Systems through Network Reconfiguration. International Research Journal of Innovations in Engineering and Technology - IRJIET, 10(5), 814-825. Article DOI https://doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2026.105113
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