Work

Scalable iterative algorithm for solving optimal transmission switching with de-energization

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Transmission System Operators routinely use transmission switching as a tool to manage congestion and ensure system security. Motivated by sub-transmission operations at RTE, this paper considers the Optimal Transmission Switching with De-energization (OTSD), which captures potential loss of connectivity (and therefore localized blackout) following loss of transmission elements. While directly relevant to real-life operations, this problem has received very little attention in the literature. The paper proposes a new mixed-integer linear programming formulation for OTSD that represents post-contingency loss of connectivity without requiring additional binary variables. This new formulation provides the foundation for a fast, iterative heuristic algorithm. Computational experiments confirms that state-of-the-art optimization solvers struggle to solve the extensive formulation of OTSD, often failing to find even trivial solutions within reasonable time. In contrast, numerical results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed heuristic, which finds high-quality feasible solutions 100–1000x faster than using Gurobi.

Source: Electric Power Systems Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.epsr.2026.113691

Authors: Benoît Jeanson, Mathieu Tanneau, Simon H. Tindemans

Institutions: Delft University of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Electric Power System Optimization

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,810