Probabilistic Multi-Objective Design of Lightning Protection for Complex Power Distribution Networks

Some of the main issues in developing an effective lightning protection strategy include determining the optimal placement of protection devices and deciding whether to incorporate shield wires. Addressing these challenges involves balancing multiple, often conflicting, objectives. Additionally, the intrinsic probabilistic nature of the lightning problem makes the optimization even more complicated. Based on the above considerations, this study proposes a multi-objective optimization framework to identify effective lightning protection strategies, in terms of surge arrester location and shield wire installation in complex distribution networks. The proposed approach aims to find a computationally efficient procedure that preserves the accuracy of conventional methods, even in complex network configurations. This is accomplished by integrating decision theory with a Design of Experiments approach based on Taguchi arrays to determine the optimal protection alternative. This method allows obtaining substantial reduction of the computational time. The computational time reduction depends on the network complexity and on the configuration of the reference method. In the simulations presented in this paper, the proposed approach allowed reducing computational time up to approximately 98% compared to a benchmark method based on genetic algorithm combined with the Monte Carlo technique, while preserving the accuracy of the results. The proposed method offers a practical and scalable solution for enhancing lightning resilience despite the complexity of the distribution networks' topology.