Load Management in Distribution Networks

Load management is a top concern for utilities all over the world as the total electricity consumption in most countries continues to rise. Current DECC forecasts suggest a 60% rise in the total electricity demand in the UK between the years 2030 and 2050 due to the high uptake of heat pumps and electric vehicles. Since major nuclear plants that supports base load in the UK are scheduled to shut down in ten years time due to their end of life, there will definitely be a need for extra generating capacity if this trend continues and existing loads are not well managed. Conservation voltage reduction (CVR) has proved productive in North East Utilities in the US to reduce peak demand and provide energy savings, and similar savings can be achieved in the UK. This may help defer the need for extra generating capacity and provide environmental savings. The power flow simulations carried out in this work was to estimate the demand savings on UK type residential feeders in terms of the CVR factor. The analysis showed that the CVR factor is sensitive to temporal variations in load. The amount of savings realizable through CVR depends on the composition of loads on the feeder and the season effected.