Hybrid real–complex current injection-based load flow formulation

• A new current injection-based load flow procedure is presented.
• Y-bus matrix becomes the main building block of the Jacobian.
• An augmented incremental model is developed comprising both complex and real unknowns.
• Details are provided on the inclusion of voltage regulating devices (PV buses and tap changers).

This paper presents a new current injection-based load flow procedure in which the Y-bus matrix becomes the main building block of the Jacobian. Starting from a conventional complex formulation, an augmented incremental model is developed comprising both complex and real unknowns, corresponding to PQ and voltage-regulated buses respectively. Then, details are provided on the incorporation of voltage regulating devices (PV buses and tap changers) into the proposed hybrid model. Test results are presented showing that, when solution adjustments are considered, the proposed approach is competitive with the conventional power mismatch-based Newton's method, and performs much better than sensitivity-based schemes usually adopted in combination with current injection-based load flow solutions.