Distribution system reconfiguration for loss minimization using modified bacterial foraging optimization algorithm

•Feeder reconfiguration effectively ensures the loss minimization in distribution systems.•Proposed modified BFO algorithm has been tested on 16 bus, 33 bus and 69 bus sample networks.•Based on test results, this approach is better than results obtained by other methods.•Effective convergence of this approach proves that it is highly suitable in DAS.

In this paper the network reconfiguration problem is formulated as non-linear objective optimization problem. The proposed solution to this problem is framed as a non-linear combinatorial optimization problem and status of switches is non-differentiable which is solved using modified bacterial foraging algorithm, the algorithm is modified for better convergence. The modified bacterial foraging algorithm is described in a general context and then applied specifically to the network reconfiguration problem. This program was tested on 16 bus, 33 bus & 69 bus test systems. The test results proved that the efficiency of modified bacterial foraging algorithm is better than other existing methodology.