TECHNICAL LOSS ESTIMATION AND REDUCTION IN A TYPICAL NIGERIAN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY.

Abstract

Abstract

Nigeria’s electric power distribution network is faced with high technical power losses arising mainly from the radial nature of distribution systems, long length of feeders and poor voltage profile. This work estimates the financial implication of the technical losses in a typical Nigerian distribution network and proposes ways to reduce it.

The existing Benin Electricity distribution company (BEDC) Asaba government core area injection substation distribution network comprising of a 15MVA 33/11KV power transformer and its two number radially connected 11KV feeders – SPC and Anwai road with their aggregate of ninety six (96) number secondary distribution 11/0.415KV transformers was modelled with ETAP 7.0.0 software, and a load flow analysis was carried on the modelled network using Newton-Raphson method deployed in the ETAP 7.0 software.  This was done to determine bus voltages, real and reactive power losses in the network. Data used for the study were obtained from BEDC Asaba business district between June and August, 2017.

Analysis of the load flow results show that using the current multi-year tariff order (MYTO) for BEDC with the cost of a KWh of energy at N31.27 for residential customers as base, N1, 065,569,028.00 worth energy will be lost in the network within a ten-year period. Further analysis shows that a savings of N640,742,713.10 will be made within 10 years if the distribution network is compensated  by optimally locating reactive power compensating devices.

Key words: Compensating Devices, Financial Implication, Technical Losses, Financial Implication.