The soft open point（SOP） adopting novel power electronic technologies can effectively alleviate the problems of the over low voltages of downstream lines and insufficient power supplies for important loads that exist in current distribution networks of China. To solve the SOP siting problem

we established an optimization model aiming at minimizing the voltage deviation of the interconnected distribution network. Taking the diversity and switching possibility of the SOP’s operating modes into consideration

we proposed a dynamic coding strategy for the two-terminal SOPs within interconnected distribution networks

and applied a customized genetic algorithm to solve this complex mixed integer non-linear programming problem. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm is superior to the traditional genetic algorithm in solving speed as well as the optimization effect

and the optimized SOP site scheme has smaller system voltage deviations and fewer power losses

which verifies the significant advantages of the SOP in voltage control

flexible load transfer

etc.