Best Practices in commercial loss Reduction

STRONG ADMINISTRATION WILL IS NECESSARY TO

CURB THE COMMERICIAL LOSSES

In order to reduce T&D losses to an acceptable level, it is utmost

necessary to carry out systematic network studies and detect the areas where

losses are more. Energy Audit is a new revolutionary management tool in

energy Management. Energy Audit is the first step in identifying the areas of

excessive losses and it also enables us to device measures to reduce Energy

losses.

There are several modern techniques to overcome the commercial losses

which are given below.

1. Powerful Energy Audit

2. prepaid energy meter

3. energy theft control

4. energy management (DSM)

5. implementation of law against pilferage

6. GIS/GPS

7. Proper Metering

8. Automatic Billing

9. Availability Based Tariff

Powerful Energy Audit

In general for any unit in Power system

Energy supplied = Energy Billed + Losses

“The Verification, Monitoring and Analysis of use of Energy including

submission of technical report containing recommendations for improving

energy efficiency with cost benefit analysis and an action plan to reduce

Energy Consumption”. The energy sent out from substation can be measured

by the substation meters. The energy billed to various consumers in that

period can be added up and the losses can be computed. The efficiency of

that will naturally depend on the quality of metering provided. If such a

balance sheet is worked out for each section, sub-division, division, circle

zone; the broad areas of higher losses can be identified. In fact, the entire

approach in energy audit has to be cost effective and higher loss areas have

to be attended on priority.

Energy Auditing: Goals

• Manage Energy Costs

• Promote Energy/Environmental Awareness

• Manage Water and other Resource Costs

• Verify Savings from Energy Retrofits

• Motivate Staff to Manage Energy Costs

• Set Energy Cost Savings goals and Monetary Incentives

• Prioritize sites for Energy Retrofits

• Troubleshoot unusual consumption increases

• Find Billing Errors

• Prepare to negotiate for Price and Service as Electricity undergoes

deregulation

The following are Steps suggested for Better Energy Audit

1. According to the monthly billing records, the consumer are to be tackled

on the following order of high consumption

a) H.T Consumer

b) L.T Consumer

c) Commercial Consumer

d) Domestic Consumer

2. Comparison should be done between the consumption of same class

consumer to get the possibilities of theft

3. Large variation in H.T Consumer and L.T Consumer should be closely

monitored.

4. Each substation has been given unique code that indicates its district,

voltage level, and serial number. Similarly the feeders emanating from

each substation were also coded. Each transformer on 11kv feeder has

been given unique DTC code.

5. Complete energy balance of energy supplied through an EHV or HV

substation has to be carried out.

6. District wise study of consumption for various types of consumers has to

be carried out.

7. Action Plan

For carrying out Energy Audit program for T&D system effectively, the

following action plan is done

a) Calibration of all substation and consumer’s energy meter

b) EHV Transmission line losses

c) Installation of CT operated meters

d) Totally enclosed HT metering kiosks housing metering CT’s, PT’s and

meters with highly secured locking system

e) Use of tamper proof meter

f) Regular energy data logging at EHV, HV substation is necessary

g) Correct assessment of consumption by unmetered consumers

h) Cycle duration of Energy Audit should be fixed

Difficulties in carrying out Energy Audit

1. It is difficult to compute the energy consumed by the consumer opted for

HP agricultural tariff.

2. Inadequate accuracy of meters provided in substation and at consumers

end.

3. Incorrect recording by energy meters at EHV and minor substation.

4. Non availability of data of energy consumed by HT/LT consumers.

5. Billing on average if consumer meters are not read or if meters are faulty.

6. Dynamically changing data due to load growth.

7. Non availability of system data and standard computer facilities.

8. Non availability of metering system on both sides of transformation

equipments.

Energy Theft Control

There should be an impressive need to gear up the administrative

machinery and put it into action to eradicate power theft by taking effective

steps on war footing basis so as to achieve optimum utilization of the total

generated units of energy and there by the economic condition of any Supply

Company or license could be made healthy.

The following methods are used for the reduction of theft control

1. Fixing of meter terminal covers \

2. Sealing of energy meter with proper and effective seals

3. Providing M’seal compound to the meter terminals.

4. Fixing of energy meters in sealed and tamper proof transparent boxes so as

to prevent external magnetic field’s influence on the performance of

meter

5. Fixing of energy meters near the entry point of the premises so as to

facilitate easy reading and inspection.

6. through inspection of installations periodically

7. Testing of energy meters and metering equipments at frequent intervals.

8. Sealing of bus bar installed in flat schemes where cluster of connections

are located

9. Providing multi channeled meters at single location to register the power

consumption of individual consumer.

10.Proper sealing of feeder pillar boxes as well as distribution boxes to

prevent free accessibility to the live portions for committing theft of

electricity.

11.Implementation of effective energy auditing at various levels.

12.Carry out the study and analysis of data retrieval reports as well as the

Consumer’s Personal Ledger (CPL) for ascertaining correct consumption

trend

13.Check up for application of correct multiplying factor and CT ratio.

14.Detect reverse meter reading.

15.Lodge police case immediately after detection of power theft.

16.Providing Cutout after Meter

17.Tamper Proof Electronic Energy Meter

18.Use of Modern Technology such as Prepaid Meter, Remote Metering

19.Energy Accounting and Energy Audit, Consumer / Feeder wise /

Substation wise / Subdivision / Division / Circle / Zone

Energy Management

Energy in the form of electricity is recognized as a basic necessity

for the economic development and social progress. Constraints and

uncertainties surrounding fuel availability, monsoon sitting requirements,

financing and demand forecast have made it increasingly difficult for utilities

to add large scale capacity and additional interconnections to their supply and

distribution system. Against this background a variety of new techniques,

planning and control procedures are to be implemented to satisfy the

demanding power system requirement.

There is shortage of peaking capacity in most of the regions and

they are interconnected to form a regional network. Thus, subnormal

frequency operations, inadvertent tie line flows, indifferent reactive power

flow and system separations occur and it takes much time to restore the

normalcy. The present tariff structure does not provide for differential rates

for energy in different times of the day and there is no penalty for the

individual system overdrawing in peak and dumping off peak period.

Load Management

In ideal power system, to ensure the system security and reliability,

no imbalance should exist between the total generation and the total demand.

At every given point of time, the generation shall match the load and the

frequency maintained at 50Hz.

Objectives

a) To reduce the average cost of electricity

b) Generally improved power factor

c) Reduce the need for generating capacity by shifting the electricity

use from peak to off peak

d) Improve the system efficiency through sharing electric energy

provided by relatively inefficient units.

Load Management Techniques

1. Network Islanding

This is adopted under certain emergency conditions of the system.

The network is split into island; each island has limits of frequency. When

the frequency begins to decrease, the homogeneous network is split into

definite sections predetermined points by frequency sensitive relays.

2. Direct load Control

It is the control by electric utility of specific consumer load. These

loads are cycled or differed during the period of system peak load.

3. Tariff Based Load Shedding

In this the consumer are grouped for load shedding as under

Group 1 : No Tripping

Group 2 : To trip at 49Hz

Group 3 : To trip at 48.5Hz

Group 4 : To trip at 48Hz

The tariff is arranged in such a way that group 1 is charged at

highest rate and group 2 at the least. Others are graded suitably at rates

between group 1&2.

4. Voluntary Load Control

In this economic incentives and disincentives are offered through

the electric rate structure. This is sometimes referred as flattering of load

curves. It is to bring down the day peak demand and increase the night low

load hour demand.