Learning Local Volt/Var Controllers Towards Efficient Network Operation with Stability Guarantees

Abstract: This paper considers the problem of voltage regulation in distribution networks. The primary motivation is to keep voltages within preassigned operating limits by commanding the reactive power output of distributed energy resources (DERs) deployed in the grid. We develop a framework for developing local Volt/Var control that comprises two main steps. In the first, by exploiting historical data and for each DER, we learn a function representing the desirable equilibrium points for the power network. These points approximate solutions of an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) problem. In the second, we propose a control scheme for steering the network towards these favorable configurations. Theoretical conditions are derived to formally guarantee the stability of the developed control scheme, and numerical simulations illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.