A robust approach to optimal power flow with discrete variables

Optimal power flow (OPF) belongs to the nonlinear optimization problem with discrete variables. The interior point cutting plane method (IPCPM), which possesses the advantages of both the interior point method and the cutting plane method, becomes a very promising approach to the large-scale OPF. It employs a successive linearization process and iteratively solves the mixed integer linear programming problem. However, case studies have shown that: if the problem has multiple solutions, the optimal solutions will converge to the interior of the optimal face, and the cutting planes cannot be generated due to the failure to identify the optimal base. This paper presents a new general optimal base identification method for solving the problem. The new approach significantly improves the robustness and efficiency of IPCPM. Simulation results on IEEE test systems indicate that the algorithm proposed can not only properly deal with various types of optimal solutions but also greatly enlarge the application area of IPCPM.