Communication-Aware Restoration Ordering for Islanded Distribution Networks

Abstract

The increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events have highlighted the critical vulnerabilities of modern power distribution networks. When catastrophic failures occur, distribution networks often fracture into isolated segments, commonly referred to as islanded microgrids, which must be restored independently to maintain critical services. Modern power system restoration heavily relies on advanced communication infrastructures for coordination, state estimation, and control. However, existing restoration ordering strategies predominantly treat the communication network as an infallible, static entity, failing to account for simultaneous physical and cyber disruptions. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework for communication-aware restoration ordering in islanded distribution networks. By modeling the intricate interdependencies between power distribution nodes and communication routers, the proposed methodology dynamically co-optimizes the restoration sequence of both networks. The approach ensures that control commands and state measurements can be reliably transmitted before power is routed to critical loads, thereby preventing control failures and secondary outages during the recovery process. Through extensive textual descriptions of the algorithmic logic, system architecture, and cyber-physical modeling, this study demonstrates the necessity of integrating communication constraints into power restoration protocols. Simulated scenarios reveal that the communication-aware approach significantly reduces the time required to restore critical loads and enhances the overall stability of the islanded network compared to traditional power-centric methods.