This paper describes a new stochastic heuristic algorithm in engineering problem optimization especially in power system applications. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) called adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO), mixed with simulated annealing (SA), is introduced and referred to as APSO-SA. This algorithm uses a novel PSO algorithm (APSO) to increase the convergence rate and incorporate the ability of SA to avoid being trapped in a local optimum. The APSO-SA algorithm efficiency is verified using some benchmark functions. This paper presents the application of APSO-SA to find the optimal location, type and size of flexible AC transmission system devices. Two types of FACTS devices, the thyristor controlled series capacitor (TCSC) and the static VAR compensator (SVC), are considered. The main objectives of the presented method are increasing the voltage stability index and over load factor, decreasing the cost of investment and total real power losses in the power system. In this regard, two cases are considered: single-type devices (same type of FACTS devices) and multi-type devices (combination of TCSC, SVC). Using the proposed method, the locations, type and sizes of FACTS devices are obtained to reach the optimal objective function. The APSO-SA is used to solve the above non.linear programming optimization problem for better accuracy and fast convergence and its results are compared with results of conventional PSO. The presented method expands the search space, improves performance and accelerates to the speed convergence, in comparison with the conventional PSO algorithm. The optimization results are compared with the standard PSO method. This comparison confirms the efficiency and validity of the proposed method. The proposed approach is examined and tested on IEEE 14 bus systems by MATLAB software. Numerical results demonstrate that the APSO-SA is fast and has a much lower computational cost.