Abstract: The traditional intelligent algorithms usually have slow convergence speed and poor optimization capability while dealing with the discontinuous,non-convex and nonlinear power system economic load dispatch problems.A new algorithm combined simplex search method with artificial bee colony algorithm is proposed and applied to power system economic load dispatch problems.This algorithm maintains the powerful global search capability of artificial bee colony algorithm and improves the search mode of onlooker.In addition, it uses the simplex search method to optimize better food sources provided by the artificial bee colony algorithm quickly and determinately.So,it improvs the search capability and convergence speed of the new algorithm. Moreover,an effective repair procedure is proposed to guarantee the feasibility of the new individuals.Experiments are carried out on some power system economic load dispatch problems with valve-point effects. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

Key words: power system, economic load dispatch, simplex search method, artificial bee colony, valve-point effect