Patent ID: 8761954

Claim:
A controller comprising: a network interface configured to receive first measurements associated with a segment of an electrical distribution system and transmit a control signal configured to control equipment of the segment of the electrical distribution system; and data processing circuitry configured: to determine a total load on the segment of the electrical distribution system; to run a first simulation of the segment of the electrical distribution system simulating various equipment configurations based at least in part on the first measurements; to select from among the various equipment configurations, depending at least in part on the total load: a first equipment configuration that is expected to cause a voltage deviation of the segment of the electrical distribution system to most closely approach a first desired value without causing voltage violations or power factor to fall beneath a power factor threshold; a second equipment configuration that is expected to cause the voltage deviation of the segment of the electrical distribution system to more closely approach the first desired value than otherwise and active power losses of the segment of the electrical distribution system to more closely approach a second desired value than otherwise without causing voltage violations or power factor to fall beneath the power factor threshold; or a third equipment configuration that is expected to cause the active power losses of the segment of the electrical distribution system to most closely approach the second desired value without causing voltage violations or power factor to fall beneath the power factor threshold; and to generate the control signal, wherein the control signal is configured to cause the equipment of the segment of the electrical distribution system to conform to the equipment configuration.