Cause-and-effect relationships affecting distribution loss management

There are a lot of parameters which are decisive in distribution loss management, such as demand value, energy price, etc. In this paper the cause-and-effect relationships among some of these variables are clearly described. The study demonstrates how a variable in the model will change, if an alteration in one of the other variables occurs. The power system variables considered in this study include energy and loss prices, generation and demand values, distribution loss, distribution system age, number of customers connected to the smart grid, distribution network revenue, and so forth. The smart grid impacts can be studied from two different aspects: 1) the communication infrastructure available throughout the smart grid increases the speed at which different system parameters are changed due to a change in a specific parameter and 2) the end-users have more control over what happens to the whole distribution system. A graphical representation technique, called “Causal Loop Diagram”, is employed in order to illuminate the cause-and-effect relationships among variables. This kind of study helps us to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the whole distribution system from the loss perspective. The survey involves studying the effects both on the distribution management system and the end-users.