An Intelligent Islanding Technique Considering

Load Balance for Distribution System with DGs

Yuping Lu, Member, IEEE, Xin Yi, Jian Wu, Member, IEEE, Xia Lin

Abstract-- The island is an important operation mode of

distribution system with distributed generators. The
principles of islanding are presented. Based on the
simplified model of distribution system, a new concept of
cell is defined and an islanding mathematic model as well as
a heuristic islanding algorithm through combining cells is
proposed. The algorithm can well satisfy the constraint
conditions while the process of islanding, and achieve a
feasible islanding scheme in a short time. Thus, the
operation mode of distribution system can change swiftly
under fault states. The load grade attribute is utilized to
enhance islanding algorithm selective to load. Thus, the
method ensures not only priority services for important
loads, but also be compatible with the under-frequency load
shedding1.
Index
Terms-Distributed
generation,
distribution networks, operation mode.

island,

I. INTRODUCTION

nder the deregulation of tower utility, more and

more distribution generations (DGs) are connected
into the power distribution system and run in the
network. This brings a great change to the network
configuration and its operation mode, as a result, this
leads to a big challenge for the traditional protection and
control system [1]. At present, Standards for
interconnecting DG with electric power systems [2,3]
mostly are based on the principle that the DG shouldnt
bring influence upon the normal operation performance
for the utility protection and control system. For
example, its demanded that the DG shouldnt actively
participate in the voltage regulation. And for another
instance, in case of a fault in the distribution system, its
demanded that the DG be quitted from the system to
insure the right operations of the protection devices. In
this way, in one hand, it guarantees the security of the
system, on the other hand, it also brings damage to the
normal operation of the DG. DG sacrifices the interest of
the power supplier since it brings negative affection to
the development of the distribution generation
technology. Facing this challenge, it is demanded to
study the new protection and control system for the

This work was the Project 50577006 supported by National Natural

Science Foundation of China (NSFC)
Yuping Lu, Xin Yi and Xia Lin are with the Department of Electrical
Engineering of Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China. (e-mail:
[email protected])
Jian Wu is with Guodian Nanjing Automation CO.LTD, Nanjing
210003, China. (e-mail: [email protected])

1-4244-0493-2/06/$20.00 2006 IEEE.

distribution system, farthest explore the benefits of

distributed generation system, at the same time avoiding
its negative influences upon the security of the power
system but guarantee its more efficient and reliable
operation.
The island is a feasible operation mode of the
distribution system after interconnecting with DGs,
which refers to the independent power supply from the
DGs to a part of distribution system. A new idea is:
when the occurrence of the fault in the distribution
system, with the guarantee of the security of the power
system, it is recommended to keep the normal operation
of the DG as much as possible, and transfer the
distribution system to some island self-balance operation
system, in this way, it not only reduces the affected area
to improve the reliability of the power supply but brings
benefit to the DG running company and the customers.
This paper brings about a new heuristic islanding
strategy based on the wide-area measure and control
system. According to the fault location and aided by the
pre-fault real time sampling, it is studied that when the
occurrence of a fault to the distribution system, how to
achieve a feasible islanding scheme in a short time and
insure the minimum power lost of the system.

II. THE ISLAND PARTITION PRINCIPLES

It should be considered the next two aspects of the
principles:
Firstly, it should consider the balance between the
capacity of the load and generation, which not only make
full use of the DG generation, but avoid overload it. So,
the first island partition principle: under the precondition
of the sum load is not more than the sum generation
capacity, it is demanded that the island bear the load as
more as possible.
Secondly, given the consideration that the various
power users have their own demand for priority services,
it is insured that with the island scheme the more
important customers have the more priority power
supple. The island partition principle 2: it is insured the
island includes much more priority level load.

III. THE SIMPLIFIED MODEL FOR THE DISTRIBUTION

SYSTEM WITH DGS
There are various grades voltage systems into
which the DGs are incorporated. With the network

differently connected, the DGs are also of the

corresponding various incorporated ways: they are
divided into the through substation busbar connectedinto (fig1(a))and the through feeder one (fig1(b)).
S1
1
9
110KV

11
2
DG2

8
110/35/10KV

DG2
3

35KV

10

10KV

10KV
4

S1

8
DG1

(a)

10KV
S2

DG1

DG connect-into

(b) DG connect-into

through busbar

through feeder

Fig.1 Structure of distribution system and connection mode of DGs

It is through a math description for the simplified

model of the distribution system based on the map
theory, that the circuit breaker in the substation or set on
the transmission with the measure and control function
is considered as the node, the item between the adjacent
nodes such as transmission, transformer or busbar is
considered the edge. Fig 2 shows the simplified model of
a distribution system.

symbol the power flow injection into the power system

from the source.
The source cell and load cell have two common
attributes: power attribute and node attribute. The power
attribute of the source cell is marked with PSi , which is a
positive number, indicating the power out-flow from
source cell S i ; and the power attribute of the load cell
is PLi , which is a negative number, indicating the power
out-flow from load cell Li . The node attribute of the
source cell and the load cell are signified with the
TSi and TLi respectively, which are they each cell
boundary node-included aggregation.
In addition, the load cell owns the load grade
attribute RLi : the important load grade attribute is 1, the
normal load grade is 2, and the lesser grade is 3.
Fig 3 is the cells partition formed from the fig 2(b),
the distribution network. The area included in the circle
denotes the cell, the power attribute marked with the
negative or positive number in the circle, the node
attribute marked with the nodes at the circle. The figure
in the bracket is the serial number of the cell.

-20 (11)

11

DG

11

-30 (10)

+30
(4)

8
DG

-20 (9)

10

1
6

S
DG

DG

(a)

5
S

DG connect-into
through busbar

DG

-20 (12) 8

(b) DG connect-into
through feeder

+50
(1)

10

7
2
-20
(5)

3
-10
(6)

4
-20
(7)

5
-30
(8)

+50
S
(2)

6
+30 (3)
DG

Fig.3 Load cells and source cells

Fig.2 Simplified model of distribution systems with DGs

It is shown from the fig 2 that there is a similar way

to describe the different way of DGs into-connection for
the different voltage levels.

IV. THE LOAD CELL AND SOURCE CELL

At present, it is impossible to install the measure
and control device for every path line for the time being,
so as not to get the affirm load value of each line.
However, it can compute the load summation for some
certain area, shown in fig2(b): through the flow value of
nodes 1,2, and 10 it can get the above 3 node
interconnected area load summation. It is introduced the
concept of load cell, that is the minimum connected area
built with the nearest adjacent nodes and its between
edge. If a twig path leading from a certain node, shown
the ones from nodes 9, 10 shown in fig 2(b), they will
construct the load cell with its own connected node
respectively.
The source cell is constructed similar to the load
cell. It is formed by the source, the source connectedinto node and its inter-connection built area and used to

V. THE CHART FLOW FOR DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

TRANSITION TO THE ISLAND MODELOAD CELL AND
SOURCE CELL
i) When the distribution system running normally, it
is divided into several source cells and load cells
according to its node position and adjacent relationship.
Number the cells, and then form the cell adjacent table
reflecting the cell-between adjacent relationship. After
determination of node attribute for each cell, it can
calculate the power attribute from the real-time sample
of the nodes. For the utility source, in the island
operation mode, it should be considered its maximum
power output, of which it offers power to the most great
amount load, thus its power attribute is set to be the
rated value.
ii) When a fault happens, it is definite that the
single fault is in a certain cell and the multi-fault in
several cells. Relay protection will open the
corresponding circuit breakers at the border nodes of
these cells.
iii) Remove the fault located cell from the cell
adjacent table, based on the pre-fault power attribute

value to execute the island partition algorithm in forming

the final island scheme.
iv) After that it transfers the power network to the island operation
mode.

VI. THE ARITHMETIC MODEL WITH ISLAND PARTITION

FOR THE POST-FAULT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
The final island scheme is regarded as the set
formed by some source cells and load cells. So the island
partition goal is described as: to combine more than one
set by the healthy cells from the post-fault distribution
system, and make the weighted summation of the load
cells in the set the max. The weighted value reflects the
importance level for the load.
(1) Goal function:
n

max

Lj

PLj

i =1 L j H i

n denotes the amount of sets, H i is the (i)th set in

sequence, L j symbols the load cell in the set
H i , PLj symbols the power attribute of L j . Lj is the
power lost affection ratio corresponding to the load
grade attribute RLj for L j ,which can be determined
according to the real situation, in this paper the grade
load 1,2,3 relevant are 100,10,1 respectively. The
more is the divided gap between different , the more
can embody the importance of the high-grade load in the
goal function, which provides priority for its inclusion
into the island scheme.
(2) Constraint conditions
1) The power constraint in the set

Sj

S j H i

Lk

0 i=1,2n

Lk H i

2) The connection constraint of cells in the set

S j H i Lk H i make X Sj Lk = 1
i=1,2n
( X Sj Lk = 1 means the cells S j and Lk are
adjacent
X Sj Lk = 0 means the cells S j L k are not
adjacent
L j H i L k or S t H i make X Lj Lk
or X Lj St = 1 i = 1 , 2 n
3) The sets not intersection constraint
i, j 1 i, j n i j H i I H j =

VII. THE ISLAND PARTITION ALGORITHM

The island partition algorithm is a combination
optimum issue; this paper brings about heuristic island
partition algorithm, of which the island partition

procedure insure the above constraint conditions be

satisfied and get the feasible island partition scheme.
The concrete algorithm is described as follow:
(1) Without the consideration of the third grade
load, it just in terms of the source cell and the first, the
second grade load cells that to be involved in forming
the preliminary island scheme.
1) For every source cell, it executes the cell
expanding operation. The concrete method is: for every
source cell S i to search its adjacent 1 and 2 grade load
cells in the cell adjacent table, and to inspect them in the
order of grade from high to low, as long as find a certain
adjacent load cell L j satisfy the inequality
PSi + PLj 0 , it will be melted into Si to form the new
source cell S i . So the new cell S i includes the premelted 2 areas, S i and L j , with the power attribute
turned into PSi + PLj and the node attribute
into TSi U T Lj TSi I T Lj . To modify the cell adjacent
table according to the transition from pre-melting
situation to the post-melting one: the pre-melting Si , L j
adjacent cells (not include Si and L j themselves)
become the adjacent cells to the new source cell Si and
the melted cell L j is removed from the cell adjacent
table. If the expanded source cell Si is happened to be
adjacent to another source cell S k , the above two are
merged together to form the new source cell S i with its
power attribute transited to PSi + PSk as well the node
attribute to TSi U TSk TSi I TSk , then followed the
sequent modification to the cell adjacent table.
2) To perform the step 1) until its power attribute
value is smaller than its all adjacent load cells owned
load values.
3) At the cell adjacent table after step 2), in the
order of the load grade from high to low to study the all
1, 2 grade load cell, when find a certain load cell Lm is
directly adjacent to at least 2 source cells S p S q , and
PLm + PSp + PSq + 0, then melt them in a new
source cell S p with its power attribute turned
to PLm + PSp + PSq + , and its node attribute to
T Lm U TSp U TSq U T Lm I TSp TLm I TSq , renew
the cell adjacent table consequently.
4) Keep on executing step 3) till it cant execute
melting finally.
5) To check the new formed source cell if satisfy
the cell expanding executive conditions after its step 3)
and 4): under the satisfied source cells situation,
algorithm will return back to step 1) to go on its
procedure, and the unsatisfied one to get into the second
stage.
(2) Consider the 3rd grade load cell, if the
preliminary island scheme has the extra power supply
for the 3rd grade load cell, and then add it to the island
scheme:

Inspect all 3rd grade load cells in the cell adjacent

table after execution of the 1st stage. If one certain 3rd
grade load cell Li has an adjacent source cell S j
satisfying the inequality PSj + PLi 0 , then Li is melted
into S j to form the new source cell S j , and modifying
power and node attribute and cell adjacent table.
After the above algorithm execution, the final
source cells build the fault-after island scheme and the
border nodes of the source cells are the final ones need
to be opened.
Island partition algorithm adopts the selective
elting operation to different grade load cells, and the
melting sequence guarantees the priority power supply
for important load. The procedure gives first
consideration to the 1st and 2nd grade load cells farthest,
in the end adds the 3rd ones the scheme. As a result, the
algorithm do not guarantee the reliability service of the
3rd grade load, meanwhile, the involvement or not of the
3rd grade load cells will not bring influence to the
performance of the island scheme in the whole. Also, as
the under-frequency load shedding objects belong to the
3rd loads, this shedding operation will not be in conflicts
with the island partition algorithm.

(4MW)

S1

(10MW)

(5MW)

DG1
1

23

24

25

31

32

38

110KV
2

26

7
6

19

110KV

33

41
52

21 (2MW)

(1.5MW)

51

10

11

12

34

27
28

29

30

35

36

(1.5MW)

10KV

42
10KV

10KV

35KV
43

37

44

DG2

DG3
(1MW) (1MW) (2MW)

(2MW) (1MW) (1MW)

(3MW)

13

(1.5MW)

54

10KV

35KV

(1MW)

53

22 (1MW)

10KV

S2

40

20 (1MW)

(1WM)
(1.5MW)

(10MW)

39

110KV

(3MW)

45

35KV

35KV
14

46

15

47

10KV

10KV
16

17

48

18
DG4

(2MW) (2MW)

49

50

(1MW) (2MW) (1MW)

(2MW)

Fig.5 After-fault islanding scheme of a distribution

system with DGs connected to bus bars

Fig 6 gives us a typical distribution system with the

DGs connected through the feeders. The utility sources
(S1S2S3) are 3 busbars of 10kv, the number in the
bracket is the power supply of each load cell, and the
shadow frames mean the priority ones, the dashed lines
mean the lesser loads.
DG1

1MW

21

22

23

24

25

28
29

27

26

(0.17) (0.26) (0.29) (0.18) (0.13) (0.25) (0.19) (0.23)

30

31

33

34

(0.21) (0.17) (0.20) (0.09)

32
DG3

1MW
DG2

1MW

VIII. EXAMPLE

1
S1

Fig 4 is a typical distribution system with the DGs

incorporated through busbar in the substation. The utility
source ones (S1 S2) are the two lines from 220kv
substations, and the distributed source ones DG1
DG2DG3DG4 are connected to 10kV35kV
10kV voltage level busbars respectively, with the prefault source cell power attribute marked by the value on
the source. The 3 kinds of arrowhead are used to mark
the different grade load: the wide one is the important
load, the thin one is normal load and the dashed one is
the lesser load, with the number on the arrowhead to
mark the value of the load.
(4MW)

S1

(5MW)

(10MW)

(1.5MW)
(1.5MW)

(10MW)

DG1
1

23

110KV
(1WM)

24

25

31

32

110KV

38

39

19

10

21 (2MW)

51

11

12

34
10KV

28

29

30

35

36

(2MW) (1MW) (1MW)

(3MW)

45

52

12

13

14
15

41

DG4

53

54

55

56
57

14

42

59

38
44

43

20
S2

60

2MW

(0.19)

45

46

40
47

10KV
48

49

(0.13) (0.25) (0.25) (0.25)

61

50

51
S3

(0.27) (0.27)

2MW

(0.21)

62

21

22

23

24

25

DG1
28
29

27

26

(1.5MW)

(0.17) (0.26) (0.29) (0.18) (0.13) (0.25) (0.19) (0.23)

(1.5MW)

30

31

34

33

(0.21) (0.17) (0.20) (0.09)

32

(3MW)

1MW
DG2

1MW

35

10KV
1

S1

3
(0.17)

4
(0.25)

(0.20)

(0.26) (0.24) (0.15)

37
10

(0.23)

11

12

13

DG3
14
15

36

10KV
49

1MW

50

(1MW) (2MW) (1MW)

(2MW)

41

DG4

53

54

55

56
57

42

43

38
44

45

19

20
S2

59

60

61

62

(0.19)

46

40
47

10KV
48

49

(0.13) (0.25) (0.25) (0.25)

39
58

18

2MW

(0.25) (0.24) (0.21) (0.22)

52

17

(0.15)

47
48

10KV
16

(0.15) (0.24) (0.20) (0.13) (0.22) (0.27) (0.13) (0.23) (0.29) (0.21) (0.20) (0.29)

(0.27)

15

DG4

19

It is assumed that a fault occurred on the feeder

between node 1 and 2, and with the island partition
algorithm it is the island scheme shown in fig 7.
The healthy area is divided into 5 islands, whose
border nodes are 124347363738
39402452and 60. These nodes are demanded
to open when performing the island partition scheme.

44

10KV

(2MW) (2MW)

18

(0.15)

39
58

(1MW)

46

18

17

(0.15) (0.17) (0.13) (0.11) (0.15) (0.13) (0.14) (0.16) (0.13) (0.15)

2MW

17

10KV
16

(0.20) (0.13) (0.22) (0.27) (0.13) (0.23) (0.29) (0.21) (0.20) (0.29)

Fig.6 A typical distribution system with DGs connected

to feeders

35KV

35KV

16

(0.15) (0.24)

11

(0.25) (0.24) (0.21) (0.22)

DG3
(1MW) (1MW) (2MW)

37
10

(0.27)

35KV
43

37

DG2
13

36

1MW

10KV

42

10KV

35KV

53
54

27

(0.23)

(0.26) (0.24) (0.15)

(0.25)

2MW

1MW
52

10KV

(0.19) (0.17)

41

22 (1MW)

10KV

110KV

33

20 (1MW)

S2

40

110KV
26

7
6

(0.20)

35
6

10KV

(0.21)

50

51
S3

(0.27) (0.27)

2MW

(0.15) (0.17) (0.13) (0.11) (0.15) (0.13) (0.14) (0.16) (0.13) (0.15)

Fig.4 A typical distribution system with DGs connected

to bus bars

It is assumed that a fault occurred on the busbar

connected nodes 1, 2, 3 and 4, and with the island
partition algorithm it is the island scheme shown in fig 5.
The healthy area is divided into 3 islands, whose
border nodes are 1247, 17, 1933548
and 52. These nodes are demanded to open when
performing the island partition scheme.

Fig.7 After-fault islanding scheme of a distribution

system with DGs connected to feeders

IX. CONCLUSIONS
Island is an important operation mode in the
distribution system with DGs, which still supply a part of
load from DGs with the occurrence of the fault,

improving the power supply reliability of the distribution

system.
This paper studied the method and procedure of the
auto-transferring to the island operation mode. The
island partition principle gives a comprehensive
consideration to the specialties of the island running and
the supply reliability demanded by the power system.
The heuristic algorithm for the island partition well
followed the island partition principle, and with its high
speed it guarantied the faulted distribution system be fast
transferred to the island operation mode, so it is feasible.
X. REFERENCES
[1] Loi Lei Lai (Editor), Power System Restructuring
and Deregulation: Trading, Performance and
Information Technology, John Wiley & Sons, UK,
Sept 2001.
[2] IEEE Std. 1547-2003, IEEE Standard for
Interconnecting Distributed Resources with Electric
Power Systems.
[3] UK Electricity Association 1991 Engineering
recommendation G.59/1Recommendations for the
Connection of Embedded Generating Plant to the
Regional Electricity Companies.
[4] Liu Jian Cheng Hongli Bi Pengxiang A
simplified model for distribution system[J]
Proceedings of CSEE200121(12)77-82.
[5] J.Jyrinsalo E.Lakervi Planning the Islanding
Scheme of A Regional Power ProducerElectricity
Distribution 1993.CIRED. 12th International
Conference on 17-21 May 1993 Page(s):4.21/14.21/5 vol.4.
[6] K.RajamaniU.K.HambardeIslanding and Load
Shedding Schemes for Captive Power Plants
Power DeliveryIEEE Transactions on Volume 14
Issue 3July 1999 Page(s)805-809.
[7] B.A.Archer J.B.Davies System Islanding
Considerations for Improving Power System
Restoration at Manitoba Hydro Electrical and
Computer Engineering 2002 IEEE CCECE
2002.Canadian Conference on Volume 1 12-15
May 2002 Page(s)60-65 vol.1.
[8] X.Ding A.A.Girgis Optimal Load Shedding
Strategy in Power Systems with Distributed
Generation2001 IEEE Power Engineering Society
Winter MeetingFeb2001Page(s)783-793
Vol.2.
[9] Mozina C.J, Interconnection Protection of
Dispersed Generators in the new Millennium, Texas
A&M University Conference for Protective relay
Engineers, College Station, Texas, April 11-13
2000.
[10] R.C.Dugan, T.E.McDermott Operating conflicts
for Distributed Generation on Distribution Systems.
Rural Electric Power Conference, Arkamsas, April,
2001.

[11] A.Girgis, S.Brahma, Effect of distributed generation

on protective device coordination in distribution
system, 2001 Large Engineering Systems
Conference on Power Engineering, Nova Scotia,
Canada, July, 2001.
XI. BIOGRAPHIES
Yuping Lu was born in Danyang,
China, in Oct, 1962. He was received
the Ph.D. degree in electrical
engineering from the City University,
UK in 2003. He is working as a
professor in Southeast University of
china. His research interests are power
system protection, especially digital
relaying of generator-transformer unit, and protection
and control technique in distribution system with DGs.
Xin Yi was born in Nanjing , China, on
Nov 2, 1981. He graduated from
Southeast University in June 2003 and
received B.E. Now he is pursuing his
M.E. in Southeast University. His
current interesting area is protection
and control of distribution system with
DGs.
Jian Wu was born in Suzhou, China,
on Dec 14, 1960. He graduated from
Southeast University in July 1982 and
April 1989, and received B.E. and M.E
respectively. Now he is working as
chief engineer in Guodian Nanjing
Automation CO.LTD. His interesting
area is Power System Protection
Xia Lin was born in Fuzhou, China,
on Oct 22, 1975. She graduated from
Shandong University of technology in
June 1997 and Shandong University in
June 2002, received B.E and M.E
respectively. Now she is pursuing her
PhD in Southeast University. Her
current interesting area is protection and control of
distribution system with DGs