Estimating Network Topology and Hosting Capacity: A Multi-Level Approach

The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and photovoltaic (PV) systems, driven by global governmental incentives, is placing unprecedented pressure on distribution networks. This presents an emerging challenge for distribution system operators to estimate Hosting Capacity (HC) and plan investments, particularly with the limited data available at the distribution level. To address this challenge, this paper introduces an overview of a three-level architecture developed for low voltage (LV) distribution networks. The architecture estimates network topology, constructs an equivalent circuit, and calculates HC using limited static data, thereby enabling optimized investment planning and efficient network management