Electric power systems are large structures, which generally span continental distances and are composed of thousands of different elements. Because of the nonlinearity, nonconvexity, and combinatorial nature of the mathematical models used to represent the behavior of power systems, it is difficult to obtain good results for most of the problems related to the operation and planning of the system using traditional solution techniques. Heuristics and metaheuristics algorithms have been used with success over the last years to solve different problems on power systems, being a good alternative to traditional solution techniques.

Nowadays, power systems are facing changing times: new devices are being incorporated into the network to control the power flow; new nonconventional energy sources are installed on nonconventional places modifying the operation of the network; market practices change the operation planning and investment decisions; new consumer technologies are changing the demand response; many other factors contribute to fast changes on actual and future power systems, so, heuristics and metaheuristics algorithms are playing a special role to solve the ever increasing complexity of the problems that come up in this new stage, especially because of its ability to introduce modifications to the mathematical model in order to include new devices or constraints without messing with the solution technique.

The main focus of this special issue will be on the new applications of heuristics and metaheuristics to solve electrical engineering problems, and specially, the ones related to planning and operation of power systems. This special issue will become an international forum for researchers to summarize the most recent developments and ideas in the field, with a special emphasis given to the new applications of heuristic and metaheuristic applied to power systems obtained within the last five years. Main topics include, but are not limited to the application of the following solution techniques to power systems problems:

• Constructive heuristic algorithms
• Heuristic algorithms
• Genetic algorithms
• Particle swarm algorithms application
• Tabu search
• Simulated annealing
• Variable neighborhood search
• GRASP
• Ant algorithms

Other similar solution techniques are also welcome.

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