Interdicting Electrical Power Grids

Abstract

This thesis explores Benders decomposition for solving interdiction problems on electric power grids, with applications to analyzing the vulnerability of such grids to terrorist attacks We refine and extend some existing optimization models and algorithms and demonstrate the value of our techniques using standard reliability test networks from IEEE Our implementation of Benders decomposition optimally solves any problem instance, in theory However, run times increase as Benders' cuts are added to the master problem, and this has prompted additional research to increase the decomposition's efficiency We demonstrate empirical speed ups by dropping slack cuts, solving a relaxed master problem in some iterations, and using integer but not necessarily optimal master-problem solutions These mixed strategies drastically reduce computation times For example, in one test case, we reduce the optimality gap, and the time that it takes to achieve this gap, from 16% in 75 hours to 5% in 16 minutes.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA422163

Entities

People

  • Rogelio E. Alvarez

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Alternating Current
  • Computational Science
  • Decomposition
  • Electric Power
  • Electrical Grids
  • Heuristic Methods
  • Linear Programming
  • Load Monitoring
  • Mathematical Models
  • National Security
  • Operations Research
  • Optimization
  • Reliability
  • United States
  • United States Naval Academy
  • Vulnerability

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Operations Research