MPA-DNN: Projection-Aware Unsupervised Learning for Multi-period DC-OPF

Abstract

Ensuring both feasibility and efficiency in optimal power flow (OPF) operations has become increasingly important in modern power systems with high penetrations of renewable energy and energy storage. While deep neural networks (DNNs) have emerged as promising fast surrogates for OPF solvers, they often fail to satisfy critical operational constraints, especially those involving inter-temporal coupling, such as generator ramping limits and energy storage operations. To deal with these issues, we propose a Multi-Period Projection-Aware Deep Neural Network (MPA-DNN) that incorporates a projection layer for multi-period dispatch into the network. By doing so, our model enforces physical feasibility through the projection, enabling end-to-end learning of constraint-compliant dispatch trajectories without relying on labeled data. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves near-optimal performance while strictly satisfying all constraints in varying load conditions.