Allocation of Resources Using a Microgrid Formation Approach for Resilient Electric Grids

Microgrid formation is a potential solution in post-disaster electric grid recovery efforts. Recent works propose a distribution level microgrid formation model that applies to radial distribution systems characterized by directed power flows. However, with high renewable penetration levels in future power systems, the flows are expected to be undirected even in distribution grids. In this paper, we develop a model to deal with the restoration process of future power systems, embedding some of the characteristics these systems are likely to have. More specifically, our formulation can deal with radial and meshed topologies, and it requires little preprocessing of the input data. Additionally, we extend the model to allow for possible mobile and fixed distributed generation technologies and distributed energy resources, and explicitly include demand responsive loads with a minimum satisfiability constraint. Thus, this extended formulation can be used as an operation and a short term planning tool for the DG scenario-based location problem. We compare our extended formulation results to those obtained for the radial cases found in the literature. Also, we apply the proposed approach to other instances of the problem based on the IEEE 37-bus, 30-bus, and 118-bus systems.