Load Distribution Control in Power Systems: A Survey

Load distribution control in power system means the proper and coordinated allocation of power generation to meet the load demands and maintaining the system stability. There are various methods for load distribution which includes classical load–frequency control (LFC) or automatic generation control (AGC), economic dispatch, and distributed control methods in smart grids. In the present times, the traditional power sources are being made shift towards renewable energy sources (like solar or wind energy) and distributed energy resources. This has increased the need for advanced load distribution mechanisms that can easily handle the voltage changes and the direction of power flow. This survey provides information about the various systems that are already in use over the past decade. The various systems used are broadly classified into the sections like (i) Classical AGC/Economic Dispatch system which is used for frequency regulation and cost reduction, (ii) Decentralized/Distributed Control system which is used in microgrids, (iii) Model Predictive and Optimization-Based Control which generally include methods such as MPC and metaheuristic tuning of controllers, (iv) Multi-Agent and Consensus-Based Control, system which generally use local communication, (v) Renewable Integrated and Demand Response Strategies which integrate storage and flexible loads, and (vi) Communications and Cybersecurity Aware Methods which address network delays and cyber-attacks. This paper also the main advantages of the test systems (e.g., IEEE bus cases, microgrid models) and performance metrics (frequency deviation and economic efficiency). This paper shows comparison tables of various load distribution systems and provides complete information about their strengths and limitations[1][2]. The challenges discussed include renewable intermittency, communication delays, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and lack of standard benchmarks. The paper also discusses the future techniques for designing intelligent and resilient load distribution systems.