Improved interior point method for OPF problems

Since conventional optimal power flow (OPF) algorithms are limited and too slow for operational planning, power system operation and planning engineer s have been seeking efficient OFF algorithms for three decades. The inferio r point method is one of the most efficient algorithms. In this paper, an i mproved quadratic interior point (IQIP) method is used to solve comprehensi ve OFF problems with a variety of objective functions, including economic d ispatch, VAR planning and loss minimization. The IQIP method features a gen eral starting point (rather than selected good point as in the general inte rior point method) and fast convergence. Consequently, the OFF package desc ribed in this paper offers huge improvements in speed, accuracy, and conver gence in solving multi-objective and multi-constraint optimization problems . It will be a very useful tool for the power industry.