Proposal and comparative analysis of alternative methods on the definition of load curves typologies

The knowledge of the way consumers use the energy is necessary for many studies, either commercial or technical. This knowledge can be reached by obtaining the load curves from all the customers of the company. However, given the great number of necessary measurements, this practice is not viable. The alternative currently used for tariff reviews in Brazilian electrical system is based on the sampling theory associated with data analysis techniques. After obtaining the information, the load typologies that represent each transformer or customer are calculated through some stages of load characterization. The results obtained allow a more accurate analysis of the electric energy market and, specially, the knowledge of how each consumer class uses the electricity network. This research involves part of the previously mentioned study on the analysis of the data collected in the measurement campaign. It considers and evaluates alternative methodologies for two stages of the load typologies characterization process, the selection of typical curves and the data classification. These methodologies are adjusted to the necessities of the tariff reviews and on the basis of heuristical methods and electricity sector practices. After the development and implementation of the methodologies, tests have been carried out between the considered processes, comparing and evaluating their particularities through the similarity between the typologies found for transformers and consumers on the same tension level. The comparison of the performed analysis allowed the identification of the impacts and characteristics of the developed methodologies, for each studied stage.