A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2004

In recent years, Distributed generation (DG) is applied in the electric power systems, it helps to save energy, economic operation and to enhance the reliability of the electric power systems, DG has a high potential to improve the distribution system performance. So Distributed generation is predicted to play an increasingly role in the electric power system in the future. Distribution system reliability is very important for electric power utilities. The objective of distribution system reliability here is to sure that a growth in demand for electricity can be satisfied in an optimal way by additional distributed generations, which are both technically adequate and reasonably economical. All the alternatives in distribution system planning should be evaluated carefully in aspects of technical as well as economical. Electric utilities always need to consider optimal ways to reduce the power losses, improve voltage quality and reliability in their distribution networks, but investment costs are also minimized. To solve the above problems, utilities can install capacitor banks or substitution of old conductors by larger cross-section conductors, or add more feeders to make loop circuits to the existing networks, or install distributed generations in some suitable places. The alternative, which meets the technical, environmental constraints with better financial criteria, should be selected. In this study, PSS-ADEPT software is used to calculate power flow of primary feeders of Danang city distribution network. Most popular reliability indices used by many utilities, LOLE, SAIFI, SAIDI, CAIDI, ASAI, ASUI , ENS and AENS are calculated for the studied network.