Distribution feeder reconfiguration and optimal capacitor placement for power loss and voltage profile improvement: a case study of Nekemte distribution system, Ethiopia

Abstract

Distribution systems in developing countries often experience high technical losses and poor voltage profiles due to radial configurations and inadequate reactive power compensation. This study investigates feeder reconfiguration and optimal capacitor placement to minimize losses and improve voltage profiles in the Nekemte distribution system, Ethiopia. We modeled a 45-bus Hospital Feeder with a 5.63 MW peak load in DIgSILENT PowerFactory and evaluated three scenarios: feeder reconfiguration, optimal capacitor placement, and their combined application. The Loss Sensitivity Factor identified candidate buses, while the economic analysis considered energy losses and capacitor investment costs. Feeder reconfiguration reduced active power loss from 0.36 to 0.25 MW (30.5%) and increased average and minimum bus voltages from 0.9347 to 0.9546 pu and 0.900 to 0.936 pu, respectively. Capacitor placement reduced loss to 0.27 MW (25.0%) and increased these voltages to 0.9512 and 0.925 pu. The combined approach achieved the best performance, reducing loss to 0.20 MW (44.4%) and increasing average and minimum voltages to 0.9652 and 0.943 pu, respectively. It achieved annual savings of $52,080 and a payback period of 0.345 years. The contribution is an integrated technical-economic assessment of coordinated reconfiguration and capacitor placement for a practical Ethiopian distribution feeder.