Transmission expansion planning considering ambiguities using fuzzy modeling

This paper proposes the use of fuzzy set theory to deal with the problem of choosing the best transmission system expansion plan (TSEP) considering the permissibility and ambiguity of the investment budget for constructing new transmission lines and the delivery marginal rate of the system (reliability criterion) when only a very limited size database is available to evaluate reliability indices. This is the same as solving the TSEP problem for the highest satisfaction level of the decision maker. The proposed approach models the transmission expansion problem considering practical ambiguities as a fuzzy integer programming problem. It uses the branch and bound method that utilizes a network flow approach and the maximum flow-minimum cut set theorem. The resulting optimal strategy is a reasonable and flexible plan that would not significantly change due to changes in the surrounding situation. Test results indicate viability and effectiveness of the proposed techniques.