Voltage Optimization More Than Pays for Itself
Duke and Alabama Power pilot field trials investigating the financial impacts of distribution efficiency measures.
| Quantity | Duke pilot circuits | APC pilot circuits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit 1 | Circuit 2 | Circuit 3 | Circuit 4 | |
| System voltage (kV) | 23.9 | 23.9 | 34.5 | 12.47 |
| Number of customers | 2867 | 2088 | 3597 | 1545 |
| Annualized energy (MWh) | 66,251 | 36,301 | 62,927 | 37,813 |
| Percent residential by load | 94 | 94 | 75 | 97 |
| Transformer connected (kVA) | 43,142 | 24,462 | 45,280 | 27,450 |
| Total primary circuit miles (km) | 48 (77) | 37 (60) | 72.7 (117) | 104.8 (169) |
| Total 3 circuit miles (km) | 7.6 (12) | 8 (13) | 25.4 (41) | 24 (39) |
| Longest distance miles (km) | 3.9 (6.3) | 4.5 (7.2) | 4.6 (7.4) | 10.5 (16.9) |
| Mainline conductor (kcmil) | 336 | 336 | 397 | 397 |
| Total capacitor (kVAR) | 3300 | 3000 | 2400 | 4800 |
| Number of line regulators | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Quantity | Duke pilot circuits | APC pilot circuits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit 1 | Circuit 2 | Circuit 3 | Circuit 4 | |
| Days | 153 | 153 | 362 | 289 |
| Linear model (R2) | 0.981 | 0.993 | 0.953 | 0.984 |
| Average voltage reduction (%) | 1.89 | 1.89 | 3.62 | 2.81 |
| Energy reduction (%) | 1.64 | 1.73 | 2.71 | 2.47 |
| Energy reduction 95% confidence | 1.24 - 2.04 | 1.27 - 2.19 | 2.20 - 3.22 | 2.01 - 2.93 |
| CVR factor | 0.87 | 0.92 | 0.75 | 0.88 |
| Quantity | Duke pilot circuits | APC pilot circuits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit 1 | Circuit 2 | Circuit 3 | Circuit 4 | |
| Reduced MWh | 1.66 | 0.86 | 2.25 | 1.02 |
| Initial investment | $25,000 | $25,000 | $107,000 | $56,000 |
| NPV cost | $37,318 | $37,318 | $159,720 | $89,563 |
| Kilowatt-hour savings ($0.02/kWh) | $327,166 | $169,539 | $443,530 | $201,220 |
| Benefit-cost ratio | 8.8 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 2.2 |
| Note: Based on 15-year term, 5% annual operations and maintenance cost, 2.1% inflation rate and 8% discount rate. | ||||
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