An interior point method (IPM) for solving the optimal power flow (OPF) problem is presented. The IPM uses a combination of the predictor corrector, multiple predictor corrector and multiple centrality correction methods (all belong to the family of higher order interior point methods). The proposed IPM uses the best properties of each method to obtain a more robust IPM with faster convergence characteristics. The active power loss minimisation, minimum load shedding and maximum loadability problems are formulated as an OPF problem and solved with the proposed methodology. The IEEE 30, 57, 118, and 300 bus systems, and two realistic power systems, a 464 bus corresponding to the interconnected Peruvian system, and a 2256 bus corresponding to part (South-Southeast) of the interconnected Brazilian system were tested successfully. Results have indicated that good convergence performance is obtained and the computational time is small.