Distribution System Efficiency Improvements (DSEI)

Distribution systems are stressed by an aging infrastructure and increased demands for power. Electricity distribution companies are under pressure to improve reliability and system performance, while dealing with the ongoing challenges of this aging infrastructure and increasing customer demands for higher reliability and power quality. BPA offers several distribution level efficiency improvement measures including high efficiency transformer replacement, load balancing, reconductoring, and now voltage optimization.

Voltage optimization is a known energy efficiency measure that has proven to be a very cost-effective measure to increase end-use energy efficiency, reduce distribution system losses, provide higher system reliability, and improve power quality.

Although utilities have been experimenting with CVR for over 30 years it has not been widely adopted due to perceived high costs, negative customer impacts, and complexity of its design and operation implementation. In addition, the complexity of the measurement & verification (M&V) processes to quantify benefits is not widely understood. BPA is currently working to reduce the onerous assessment and M&V process in order to increase interest in voltage optimization as a viable conservation measure.

In December of 2007, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance released its final report on the Distribution Efficiency Initiative (DEI Study). The lead consultant for this work was R.W. Beck, Inc., Seattle, WA. DEI Study objective was to support and encourage market transfer of distribution efficiency improvements through the use of simplified cost effective measures (including voltage optimization). The DEI Study documented and demonstrated various voltage optimization methods with the participation of thirteen Northwest electric utilities on thirty-one distribution feeders and over 30,000 customers.

The final DEI Study report provides technical results of the field distribution efficiency demonstrations. The results of the DEI Study conclusively showed that operating a utility distribution system in the lower half of the customer's acceptable ANSI voltage range saves energy, reduces demand, reduces system losses, and reduces reactive power requirements without negatively impacting the customer.

• To download the Guidebook and Calculator from the DEI Study, please visit R.W.Beck

Distribution System Efficiency: Voltage Optimization Workshops

DSEI Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)

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