Part 2

Variable Load on
Power Stations
(Load management)

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Generally each generation plant in any power may have
more than one generating units.

Each of the unit may have identical or different capacities.

 A number of power plants can be tied together to supply the

system load by means of interconnection of the generating
stations.

 Interconnected electric power system is more reliable and

convenient to operate and also offers economical
operating cost.

 Generation unit, Transformer Unit, Converter Unit,

Transmission Unit, Inverter Unit and Consumer Point. This
combination of all the unit is called the overall power
system units.
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SYSTEM LOAD VARIATION
Effects of variable load. The variable load on a power station
introduces many troubles in its operation. Some of the important
effects of variable load on a power station are :
(i) Need of additional equipment and generation units .
(ii) Increase in production cost.

SYSTEM LOAD
From system's point of view, there are 5 broad category of loads:
1. Domestic
2. Commercial
3. Industrial
4. Agriculture
5. Others - street lights, traction.
Domestic:
Lights, fans, domestic appliances like heaters, refrigerators, air
conditioners, mixers, ovens, small motors etc.
1. Demand factor = 0.7 to 1.0;
2. Diversity factor = 1.2 to 1.3;
3. Load factor = 0.1 to 0.15
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Generation

Transmission

Distribution

Loads

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Industrial:
Small scale industries: 0-20kW
Medium scale industries: 20-100kW
Large scale industries: above 100kW
Industrial loads need power over a longer period which remains
fairly uniform throughout the day.
For heavy industries:
1. Demand factor = 0.85 to 0.9;
2. Load factor = 0.7 to 0.8
Agriculture:
Supplying water for irrigation using pumps driven by motors
1. Demand factor = 0.9 to 1;
2. Diversity factor = 1.0 to 1.5;
3. Load factor = 0.15 to 0.25
Other Loads:
a) Bulk supplies,
b) street lights,
c) traction,
d) government loads
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System Load Characteristics
a) Connected Load
b) Maximum Demand
c) Average Load
d) Load Factor
e) Diversity Factor
f) Plant Capacity Factor
g) Plant Use Factor
Plant Capacity Factor: It is the ratio of actual energy produced to
the maximum possible energy that could have been produced
during a given period.
Plant Use Factor: It is the ratio of kWh generated to the
product of plant capacity and the number of hours for which the
plant was in operation.

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ECONOMIC OF GENERATION
Load curves : Is the variations of load on the power station with
reference to time.

There are three types:

1. Daily load curve: Load variations during the whole of the day.
2. Monthly load curve: Load curve obtained from the daily load curve
3. Yearly load curve: Load curve obtained from the monthly load
curve . The yearly load curve is used to find annual load factor.
Base Load: The unvarying load which occurs almost the whole day
on the station
Peak Load: The various peak demands or loads of the station

Fig .2 Daily Load Curve

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 Load duration curve:
When the elements of a load curve are arranged in the order of
decreasing magnitudes.

Fig 3 Load Duration Curve

The load duration curve gives the data in a more presentable form
The area under the load duration curve is equal to that of the
corresponding load curve
The load duration curve can be extended to include any period of time
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IMPORTANT TERMINALOGIES:-

Connected load: It is the sum of continuous ratings of all the

equipments connected to supply systems.
Maximum demand: It is the greatest demand of load on the power
station during a given period.
Demand factor : It is the ratio of maximum demand to connected load.

Average demand The average of loads occurring on the power

station in a given period (day or month or year)
is known as average demand

Load factor: The ratio of average load to the maximum demand

during a given period is known as load factor.

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Diversity factor: The ratio of the sum of individual maximum
demands to the maximum demand on power station
is known as diversity factor.

Plant Capacity factor: This is the ratio of actual energy produced

to the maximum possible energy that could have
been produced during a given period.

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The plant capacity factor is an indication for the reserve capacity of the
plant. A power station is so designed that it has some reserve capacity
for meeting the increased load demand in future. Therefore, the
installed capacity of the plant is always somewhat greater than the
maximum demand on the plant.
Reserve capacity = Plant capacity −Max. demand

Plant use factor: It is the ratio of units generated to the product of

plant capacity and the number of hours for which the plant was in
operation.

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Suppose a plant having installed capacity of 20 MW produces
annual output of 7·35 ×106kWh and remains in operation for 2190
hours in a year. Then,

Units Generated per Annum (annually)

It is often required to find the kWh generated per annum (yearly) from
maximum demand and load factor. The procedure is as follows :

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 18.26 %
365
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Load Curves and Selection of Generating Units and size

The load on a power station varies from time to time.

A single generating unit is not economical operation to meet this
varying load (because a single unit will have very poor efficiency
during the periods of light loads on the power station).
From this reason , a number of generating units of different sizes
are installed in a power station.
The selection of the number and sizes of the units is decided
from the annual load curve of the station. and are selected in
such a way that they correctly fit the station load curve.
Once this underlying principle is achieved, it becomes possible to
operate the generating units at or near the point of maximum
efficiency.
The principle of selection of number and sizes of generating units
with the help of load curve is illustrated in Fig. 3.11. In Fig. 3.11 (i),
the annual load curve of the station is shown.

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 1- Base unit
Unit 2 150kW (7-12)
300kW operate
all time

It is clear form the curve that load on the station has wide
variations ; the minimum load is near 50 kW and maximum load
reaching 500 kW.
For a single unit to meet this varying load will be highly
uneconomical.
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Then the total plant capacity is divided into several generating units
of different sizes to fit the load curve.
This is illustrated in Fig. 3.11(ii) where the plant capacity is divided
into three units numbered as 1, 2 and 3.
The three units employed have different capacities and are used
according to the demand on the station. In this case, the operating
schedule can be (for near maximum efficiency) as under:

This results in the overall reduction in the cost of production of

electrical energy.
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Important Points in the Selection of Units
When the number and sizes selection of the generating units, the
following points should be considered:

1) The number and sizes of the units should be selected to meet

annual load curve of the station.
2) The units should be preferably of different capacities to meet
the load requirements.
3) The capacity of the plant should be made 15% to 20% more
than the maximum demand to meet the future load
requirements and fault currents.
4) There should be a spare generating when the repairs units is
carried out.
5) The selection of multi units of smaller capacity in order to fit
the load curve very accurately should be avoided. (because
the investment cost per kW of capacity increases as the size of
the units decreases).

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Base Load and Peak Load on Power Station

Fig. 3.13. shows the typical load

curve of a power station. It is
clear that load on the power
station varies from time to time.
The load on the power station
can be considered in two parts,
namely:-

1- Base load:-

The unvarying load which occurs almost the whole day on the station
in fig. 3.13, it is 20 MW( that supplied by the station at all times of day
and night throughout 24 hours).
2- Peak load:-
Is the demands of load over and above the base load of the (in fig.
3.13, the peak demands of load excluding base load).

Note: The peak demands of the station generally is a small part of the total
load and may occur throughout the day.
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Method of Meeting the Load

In order to achieve overall economy, the best method to meet load

is to interconnect two different power stations in this case:-

1) The more efficient plant is used to supply the base load and is
known as base load power station.

2) The less efficient plant is used to supply the peak loads and is
known as peak load power station.

To illustrate that :
consider the interconnection of steam and hydro plants is to meet
the load.
a) When water is available in rainy season, the hydro-electric plant
is used to carry the base load and the steam plant supplies the
peak load
b) when the water is not available in sufficient quantity, the steam
plant carries the base load, and the hydro-electric plant carries
the peak load.
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Advantages of interconnected Grid System
The connection of several generating stations in parallel is known as
interconnected grid system.

Some of the advantages of interconnected system are :

(i) Exchange of peak loads: The peak load of the power station can
be exchanged. (If the load curve of a power station shows a peak
demand that is greater than the rated capacity of the plant, then the
excess load can be shared by other stations interconnected with it).
(ii) Use of older plants :The interconnected system makes it possible
to use the older and less efficient plants to carry peak loads of short
durations.
(iii) Ensures economical operation :The interconnected system
makes the operation of concerned power stations quite economical.
(It is because more efficient stations work continuously throughout the year
at a high load factor and the less efficient plants work for peak load hours
only).

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(iv) Increases diversity factor : Since load curves of different
interconnected stations are generally different. (The result is the
maximum demand on the system is much reduced as compared to
the sum of individual maximum demands on different stations) . In
other words, the diversity factor of the system is improved, and
increasing the effective capacity of the system.
(v) Reduces plant reserve capacity: Every power station is required
to have a standby unit for emergencies. (when several power
stations are connected in parallel, the reserve capacity of the
system is much reduced). This increases the efficiency of the
system.
(vi) Increases reliability of supply : The interconnected system
increases the reliability of supply. If a breakdown occurs in one
station, continuity of supply can be maintained by other healthy
stations.

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