Abstract:
Optimal Transmission Switching (OTS) has been widely studied as a way to improve the secure operation of power systems by adjusting network topology. This presentation introduces an extension of OTS that explicitly allows partial grid de-energization following contingencies. Such a formulation reflects operational situations where disconnecting a limited portion of the grid may be preferable to operating the system under severe overload conditions. The problem is formulated as an optimization model capturing switching decisions and post-contingency feasibility. A fast heuristic based on this model is used to quickly identify feasible network configurations and detect critical contingencies. Building on the same formulation, the optimization problem is further addressed using a Benders decomposition approach with specialized mechanisms to maintain computational tractability. Results on realistic grid instances illustrate how this approach can improve system resilience by reducing contingency-induced de-energization.

Biography:
After graduating as an electrical engineer from ENSEEIHT (Toulouse, France), Benoît spent more than 20 years at RTE, the French transmission system operator, where he held several positions mainly related to power system operations. He first worked as a short-term planning engineer before joining the headquarters, where he contributed to the development and dissemination of new power system study methodologies. During this time, he was also involved in European coordination initiatives within ENTSO-E. He later contributed to the development of open-source initiatives for power systems in collaboration with the Linux Foundation Energy. Since 2023, he has been pursuing a PhD at TU Delft through CRESYM, focusing on topology optimization of power grids, with support from RTE.