Cost-Effective Joint Placement of μPMU and AMI in Active Distribution Networks: A MILP Formulation with ANOVA-Validated Performance

Abstract

The integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) into active distribution networks (ADNs) aggravates existing observability limitations, demanding advanced measurement infrastructure beyond traditional SCADA systems. Micro-phasor measurement units (μPMUs) provide synchronized, high-resolution measurements at sampling rates between 30 and 120 samples per second. However, their high cost—approximately 22 times that of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) devices—limits large-scale deployment. This paper formulates a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model for the Joint Placement of μPMUs and AMI meters that minimizes capital expenditure (CAPEX) while guaranteeing complete topological observability, DER coverage, and channel constraints. Seven optimization methods (exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic approaches) are evaluated on four IEEE benchmark systems (13–240 buses) under 80 scenario combinations of DER penetration (0–80%) and pre-existing SCADA coverage (0–80%), yielding 560 experiments.