Distributed Online Feedback Optimization for Real-time Distribution System Voltage Regulation

We investigate the real-time distribution system voltage regulation problem employing online feedback optimization (OFO) and short-range communication between physical neighbours. OFO does not need an accurate grid topology nor estimated consumption of non-controllable loads, affords fast calculations, and demonstrates robustness to uncertainties due to its feedback-based nature. These characteristics render it particularly suitable for real-time distribution system applications. However, many OFO controllers require centralized communication, which lack robustness to single-point failures. This paper proposes a distributed OFO design based on a nested feedback optimization strategy and analyzes its convergence. Numerical results reveal that the proposed design achieves satisfactory voltage regulation and outperforms other distributed approaches.