Calculation and assessment of adapted distribution networks

The regulating of the electrical markets worldwide, and particularly in Latin America, have established certain procedures to review and update the distribution tariff rates for end consumers. There are various methodologies to determine the power distribution tariffs. One of them is based on finding the distribution aggregated value (VAD in Spanish) that implies the effective dimension-design and planning for both the management and the facilities involved, including the electrical network. This work develops a tariff methodology altogether with its application to a real distribution utility so as to define the share of VAD associated to the investment made on the electrical distribution network. This share is based on the optimal dimensioning of the MV networks, the MV/LV substations and the LV networks. The purpose of this dimensioning is to minimize the current costs on investment, operation - maintenance (O&M), losses and energy not supply (ENS). The optimization problem is subjected to regulation about quality of service (voltage drop and reliability) at the supply level for each consumer. The case used to show the results correspond to real distribution system has approximately 150,000 consumers, with a maximum power demand of about 250 MW.