Overview of

Line Loss Calculations

April 20, 2017
Content

1. Financial Line Loss

 Definition
 Components
 Historical trends
 Benchmarking
2. Network Line Loss
Financial Line Loss
Financial Definition – Line Loss Percent
The CFC KRTA (Key Ratio Trend Analysis) defines line loss in a financial sense as follows:

The measurement of electricity purchased but not sold or

otherwise accounted for.
• Lost kWh sales means additional expense for the system, which must
be spread among current consumers.
• Lost kWh sales are really lost revenues.
• Distribution cooperatives should have policies on idle services, which
is one among several reasons for line losses.
• Line losses are typically higher in very rural systems that have longer
line segments out of each substation and lower consumer density.
• Line loss can be distorted on the low side for cooperatives serving a
very large load directly from a “dedicated’ substation where virtually
no line loss occurs between the load and the substation.
Components of Line Loss Percentage
Calculation

kWh Purchases (Metered)

Less: kWh Sales (Billed and Accrued)
“Line Loss” kWh
Divided by: kWh Purchases (Metered)
“Line Loss” %
 Sources for Purchases and Sales
• Purchases are obtained from FPL’s metered power output to
LCEC at each delivery point for each day in a given month.
• Sales = MDM meter reads for the current month, including
daily reads billed and daily reads accrued
Diagram 1: Since billing is done in arrears and includes usage already
incurred, sales are accrued to match revenue to the correct month.
Bill Cycle 1
2
3
kWh Accrued

kWh on Bills
Bill Cycle 20
Day 1 Billing Days in the Month Day 30
 Monthly and Rolling 12-Month
Line Loss Percentage
No longer accounting for
the losses in the 230 kV
Change to using TWACS daily transmission lines from
reads for sales accruals, Charlotte to Calusa.
which decreased the month-
to-month volatility in the line
Implementation of
loss calculation. Rolling 12-month Line Loss % MDM improved
7.0% accuracy of daily
6.5% read estimates.
6.0%
5.5%
5.0%
4.5%
4.0%
3.5%
3.0%
Mar-11
May-11

Mar-12
May-12

Mar-13
May-13

Mar-14
May-14

Mar-15
May-15

Jan-16
Mar-16
May-16

Mar-17
Jan-11

Nov-11
Jan-12

Nov-12
Jan-13

Nov-13
Jan-14

Jul-14

Nov-14
Jan-15

Nov-15

Nov-16
Jan-17
Jul-11
Sep-11

Jul-12
Sep-12

Jul-13
Sep-13

Sep-14

Jul-15
Sep-15

Jul-16
Sep-16
Rolling 12-month Line Loss % 12 per. Mov. Avg. (Rolling 12-month Line Loss %)
 Line Loss Benchmarking
CFC Key Ratio Trend Analysis (KRTA)
RATIO 139 --- LINE LOSS (%) for 2015

40
35 LCEC (FL025): 4.80
Number of cooperatives (Total = 808)

30
Lower Quartile: 3.91
25
Median/US Total: 5.11
20
15 Upper Quartile: 6.56
10
State Grouping: 4.53
5
Consumer Size: 3.48
0
-2
(1.14)
(0.28)

More
8.30
0.58
1.43
2.29
3.15
4.01
4.87
5.73
6.59
7.44

9.16
10.02
10.88
11.74
12.60
13.45
14.31
2015 KRTA Data Ver.2.4.7
Network Line Loss
Power System Components

• The electrical grid is comprised of many different

components to reliably deliver electricity from generation
stations to the member consumers.
• Along the way, voltage may change multiple times.
• LCEC System voltages:
 Transmission: 138,000 Volts (138 kV)
 Distribution: 14.4 kV (1Φ), 24.9 kV (3Φ)
 Utilization: 120V, 240V, 480V
System Losses

• Two types of losses

 Load losses – change with load
 No-load losses – constant regardless of load
Load Losses

• Current flowing through a resistance yields losses in the

form of heat.
• Losses are calculated by the current flowing through the
element squared times the resistance (I2 x R).
• From this formula, we can see that losses increase
exponentially with current.
No-Load Losses

• Core losses of transformers

 Results from magnetizing transformer cores
System Losses: Contributors

• Conductor (Line) • Voltage Regulators

 Transmission  Substation
 Primary (Distribution)  Line
 Secondary • Capacitors
• Transformers • Other Factors (not losses
 Substation but unaccounted for)
 Distribution  Unmetered Services / Lighting
 Current Diversion (Theft)
System Losses: Contributors
• Which is the biggest contributors?

Losses as a % of Total System Energy

Area of System
Requirements
Distribution Lines and Regulators 3.5
Distribution Transformers 2.5
Secondary and Services 1.5
Substation Transformers and Regulators 1.0
Metering Equipment 0.5
Total System 9.0

“Distribution System Loss Reduction Manual” - Booth and Associates

System Planning

• System Planning identifies projects to correct deficiencies

based on established planning criteria.
• Projects are generally recommended for the following
reasons:
 To correct low voltage
 To increase conductor and equipment capacity
 To improve contingency capability
 To improve reliability
 To reduce losses
 Age and condition
Remediation Methods to Correct
Deficiencies
• Balance load on three-phase lines
• Install capacitors
• Load transfers
• Install voltage regulators
• Line conductor replacement
• Conversion of single-phase lines to three-phase
• Construction of tie lines
• Upgrades of existing substation equipment
• Addition of new substations and/or feeders