A new look at electrical supply quality and profitability

The search for improved quality of supply, and profitability, requires a detailed knowledge of electrical system performance at the time of occurrence. Customer voltage profiles, and other system performance figures, such as total system loss and network profitability, are usually available, but at some future time. Without this intimate knowledge of system performance, corrective equipment, such as voltage control devices, load switching and capacitor banks cannot be used to maximum impact. A set of algorithms, which calculate customer voltage profiles, system loss and network profitability from readily available zone substation information are described. The author also describes the use of programmable logic controllers (PLC), within the zone substation of a distribution network to give improved customer supply voltage, assist in reducing system losses and increasing network profitability