Comparative analysis and mathematical modeling of energy performance in urban electrical distribution systems with smart grid technologies

Abstract

The sustained growth of urban electricity demand and the high technical losses of conventional distribution systems pose significant challenges for energy efficiency and supply quality. This paper presents a comparative analysis and a mathematical modeling framework to evaluate the energy performance of an urban distribution system under the progressive integration of smart grid technologies: distributed generation (DG), reactive power compensation through power-electronic devices and capacitor banks, and demand response supported by advanced metering infrastructure (AMI). A radial power flow model solved with the backward/forward sweep method is formulated, complemented by the linearized DistFlow model and a set of quantitative performance indices (active and reactive losses, voltage profile, energy efficiency and voltage deviation). The framework is validated on the IEEE 33-bus benchmark and assessed over four operating scenarios. Results show that the full smart grid configuration reduces active losses from 202.7 kW to 11.6 kW (a 94.3 % reduction), raises the minimum voltage from 0.913 to 0.995 p.u., and increases system energy efficiency from 94.8 % to 99.7 %. Sensitivity analysis reveals an optimal DG penetration level of about 55 %, beyond which losses rise again. The findings provide quantitative evidence and a reproducible methodology for planning the modernization of urban distribution networks.