Distribution systems are undergoing a dramatic transition from a passive
circuit that routinely disseminates electric power among downstream nodes to
the system with distributed energy resources. The distributed energy resources
come in a variety of technologies and typically include photovoltaic (PV)
arrays, thermostatically controlled loads, energy storage units. Often these
resources are interfaced with the system via inverters that can adjust active
and reactive power injections, thus supporting the operational performance of
the system. This paper designs a control policy for such inverters using the
local power flow measurements. The control actuates active and reactive power
injections of the inverter-based distributed energy resources. This strategy is
then incorporated into a chance-constrained, decentralized optimal power flow
formulation to maintain voltage levels and power flows within their limits and
to mitigate the volatility of (PV) resources