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Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Strategies for Power/Energy Saving in
Distribution Networks
Gheorghe GRIGORAS1, Gheorghe CARTINA1, Elena-Crenguta BOBRIC2
1
Technical University "Gheorghe Asachi" of Iasi
2
Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava
1
Bd.D. Mangeron, nr.51-53, RO-700050 Iasi
ggrigor@ee.tuiasi.ro
Abstract—The power/energy losses reduction in distribution
systems is an important issue during planning and operation,
with important technical and economical implications. Thus,
the energy losses minimization implies not only the technical
improvement of the network, through its renewal with the
introduction of the technological innovations in the equipment
and circuit components as well as the optimal planning of the
design and development of the network, but also requires the
use of the methods and software tools to facilitate the operation
process. The paper presents a strategy for power/energy saving
which replacement of the 6 kV voltage level with 20 kV voltage
level in correlation with the extent of using efficient
transformers. In this line, different urban distribution
networks were analyzed using fuzzy techniques.
Index Terms—power/energy saving,
distribution networks, fuzzy techniques
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, power/energy saving has become a major
problem in the worldwide. Numerous studies have indicated
that reduction of power/energy losses in the electrical
networks is much easier than the increase of generating
capacities, and energy efficiency represents the cheapest
resource of all.
Energy losses throughout the world's electrical
distribution networks vary from country to country between
3.7% and 26.7% of the electricity use, which implies that
there is a large potential for improvement. A policy for the
reduction of losses can contain short and long term actions,
[2], [10].
The some short term measures are following:
 Identification of the weakest areas in distribution
network and improve them;
 Reduction the length of the distribution feeders by
relocation of distribution substation/installations of
additional transformers, and so on;
The long term measures may relate to:
 Mapping of complete distribution feeders clearly
depicting the various parameters such as nominal
voltage, the length, installed transformation capacity,
the number of the transformation points, the circuit
type (underground, aerial, mixed), load being served
etc.
 Replacement of the 6 kV or 10 kV voltage level with
20 kV voltage level;
 Replacement of the old transformers with the
efficient transformers;
 Compilation of data regarding existing loads,
operations conditions, forecast of expected loads etc.
Digital Object Identifier 10.4316/AECE.2010.02010
Volume 10, Number 2, 2010
Studying the power/energy saving, it can say that most of
these relate the lines and distribution transformers. These
distribution elements represent a largest loss-making
component in electricity networks. Electricity distribution
transformers have a relatively long life (estimates range
from around 30 years to as much as 50 years for lightly
loaded or refurbished transformers), and individual
transformers accumulate substantial losses over their
working life, [1].
Transformers are relatively easy to replace, certainly in
comparison with lines or cables, and their efficiency can
fairly easily be classified, labeled and standardized. The
worldwide energy savings potential of switching to high
voltage levels, efficiency transformers is estimated to be over 100 TWh
(about 22 TWh per year could be saved in the European
Union through the use of energy-efficient distribution
transformers, in Japan could save about 24 TWh per year, in
the United States, the potential is about 45 TWh per year, in
China, the potential saving is about 47 TWh per year), [1].
This savings potential is not only technically advantageous,
but also brings economic and environmental benefits.
Taking the full life cycle cost into account, selecting high
efficiency transformers is normally an economically sound
investment decision despite their higher purchase price. As a
result, high efficiency transformers yield a net economic
gain for global society.
Moreover, the equipments of 6 kV distribution network
have reached upper limit of power and lifetime and do not
allow further development. Really, in distribution networks
from Romania, there are three levels of voltage: 6, 10 and 20
kV. The 6 kV level is the first who developed and persist
still in parts of big cities. The 20 kV level appeared later and
covered the rest of urban and rural distribution areas. The 10
kV level included still small areas of urban networks.
The paper presents a strategy for power/energy saving
which replacement of the 6 kV voltage level with 20 kV
voltage level in correlation with the extent of using efficient
transformers. Thus, different urban distribution networks
were analyzed using fuzzy techniques.
II. TRANSFORMER LOSSES
In this paragraph it presents forwards the potential of the
efficiency distribution transformers, as a technology to
saving energy in distribution network.
The energy losses in electricity transformers can be
classified into, Figure 1: iron loss and cooper loss.
The iron loss is the power consumed to sustain the
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Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering Volume 10, Number 2, 2010

magnetic field in the transformer's steel core. Core loss where:

occurs whenever the transformer is energized; core loss does
not vary with load. Core losses are caused by two factors:
hysteresis and eddy current losses.
The copper loss is the power loss in the primary and
secondary windings of a transformer due to the resistance of
the windings. Copper loss varies with the square of the load
current. The maximum efficiency of the transformer occurs
at a condition when constant loss is equal to variable loss.
For distribution transformers, the maximum efficiency
occurs at a loading approximately 60%.
Transformer losses
No-load losses
Location: Magnetic core;
Main Cause: Magnetic reluctance; Main Cause: Electric resistance;
Feature: constant, independent of Feature: Proportional to the square
the load;
Improvements: Magnetic material; Improvements: Al → Cu;
Core structure;
Thin strip.
Figure 1. Losses in transformer and it's improvements, [2], [3].
Although the iron power losses is less the copper power
losses, Figure 2, the major part of the energy losses at the
transformers is iron energy losses (no load energy losses)
because this phenomenon occurs 24 hours per day, 7 day per
week, over the lifetime of transformer, 30 years average.
C1 - is cost of transformer "1"
C0 - is cost of transformer "0"
S1n - is rated power of transformer "1"
S0n - is rated power of transformer "0"
x - exponent (cost factor).
The x factor is about 0.4 to 0.5. For more efficient units
this factor has a tendency to increase up to 0.6 or even
higher.
III. THE REPLACEMENT OF 6 KV WITH 20 KV LEVEL IN
DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS
The age-structure of distribution networks, the
power/energy losses, and the increasing demands for better
power quality are a real challenge in network development.
For the development of the reliability of electricity
Load losses distribution and minimization power/energy losses, the MV-
network has a major role.
Thus, the replacement of 6 kV with 20 kV distribution
Location: Copper wre;
level is much more economic from technically, meaning that
the distribution lines of 20 kV level have about three times
of the load current; the capacity of 6-kV lines and the power/energy losses are
Shorten the wire;
much lower. Moreover, the equipments of 6 kV distribution
Thin insulation. network have reached the lifetime.
For example, in the Figure 3 it is location by components
of energy losses in a Romanian Distribution Company.
2.85
3
2.5
Energy Losses [%]

It must be underline if now for us the objective is 2

replacements of old transformers (20 /0.4 kV) by efficient 1.5 1.29
transformers, (EU, Figure 2), in Japan the objective is the 1.07

passing to high efficient transformers (amorphous). 1

0.5

8000
0
7000 Rural 20 kV Urban 20 kV Urban 6 kV

6000 4125
Power Losses [W]

5000
Figure 3. The total energy losses in a distribution system.
3475
4000
3000
In the figure it shows a major part of the energy losses of
2016
3000 2575
2370
1650 a distribution system are the energy losses in the 6 kV
2000
1838
3750
27 0 0
distribution networks. It should be noted that energy losses
in the 6 kV networks have about the same percentage as the
1000 17 0 0 2 0 16 16 5 0 19 5 0
110 0
360
0
China US EU Effic. Japan Amorphous RO_1960 RO_1967 RO_2006
20 kV networks, even if their total length is much smaller
(report lengths, respectively the number of transformers is
No Load Losses Load Losses at 50% LF about 1 to 3).
But after replacing, the lifetimes of primary components
Figure 2. Losses in transformers (Romanian Normative versus Standard
EU, and Amorphous Transformer 1000 kVA (20/0.4 kV) at 50 % load
are long and the networks built today will still be in use after
level), [1]. several decades. Long lifetimes emphasize the importance
of long-term network planning.
At today's commodity prices (low loss magnetic steel 2
500 - 3 000 € / tonne, copper 6 000 - 7 000 € / tonne) the
IV. MODELING OF THE TRANSFORMERS LOADING FOR
indicative transformer price for AC' class 100 kVA typical
POWER LOSSES EVALUATION
distribution transformer is around 3 000 €, 400 kVA is
around 7 000 € and 1 000 kVA around 12 000 €. The price / Modeling of the transformers loading can be performed in
rating characteristics can be roughly described as, [13]: numerous ways, inclusively using the Fuzzy Techniques
x (FT). The basic idea of FT is to model and to be able to
S  calculate with uncertainty. Uncertainty in fuzzy logic is a
C1  C 0   1n  (1)
measure of nonspecifically that is characterized by
 S0n  possibility distributions. The uncertain of the load level,

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Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering Volume 10, Number 2, 2010

reliability indices, the length of the feeders and so on will be
represented as fuzzy numbers, with membership functions
over the real domain . Linguistic terms used in our daily
conversation can be easily captured by fuzzy sets for
computer implementations. A fuzzy set is a set containing
elements that have varying degrees of membership in the
set. The membership values of each function are normalized
between 0 and 1.
A fuzzy number à can have different forms but,
generally, this is represented as trapezoidal (or triangular)
form, usually represented by its breaking points [2], [3], [4]:
~
A  ( x1 , x 2 , x 3 , x 4 )  [ m , n , a , b ]
where:
 x1  m  a ; x 2  m
 210.279 km of cable length). In the Figure 5 it is presented
 x3  n ; x 4  m  b
In the case of triangular form, m = n, x2 = x3.
μ(x) μ(x)
And, because the most utilities have not historical records of
feeders, it is proposed to use linguistic terms, usually used
by dispatchers, to describe the uncertain hourly loading
factor. These linguistic terms are defined in function by the
loading of the transformers at the peak load. Each loading
level represented by a linguistic variable is described by a
fuzzy variable and its associated membership function.
The loading factor KL and the power factor cos were
divided into five linguistic categories with the trapezoidal
membership function, Table I. The energy losses will be
calculated for each one of these [2], [5], [12].
V. STUDY CASE
(1)
Let consider an urban distribution network of a 110/6 kV
Power Station, with 8 feeders (355 transformers 20/0.4 and
(2) simplified representation of a feeder.
Lt = 3.5 km
0

1 1 1.5 km 1 0.5 km 2 1.2 km 3 0.3 km 4

150 mm2

630 630 400 630

a b a b kVA kVA kVA kVA
0 m n x 0 m x
Figure 5. Simplified representation of a feeder.
Figure 4. Trapezoidal and triangular membership functions.
The power losses for the considered power station are
Because, in distribution networks, except the usual calculated for three variants:
measurements from substations, the feeders and the loads  Case I - with 6 kV voltage level (current situation);
are not monitored, there is few information about the  Case II - only for voltage level by 20 kV (by
network state. As a result, there is a high degree of replacement of the 6 kV voltage level with 20 kV
uncertainty about the power demand and, consequently, voltage level and use efficient transformers
about the network loading, voltage level and power losses, RO_2006).
[11], [12]. Therefore, the fuzzy approach may reflect better  Case III - only for voltage level by 20 kV (by
the real behavior of a distribution network under various replacement of the 6 kV voltage level with 20 kV
loading conditions. For modeling of the loads, two primary voltage level and use efficient transformers EU).
fuzzy variables are considered: the loading factor KL (%) The nominal power losses for the distribution
and power factor cos, so that the representation of the transformers (old RO_1967, efficient RO_2006 and efficient
active and reactive powers result from relations [2], [5]: EU transformers) are presented in the Table II.
KL (3)
P   S n  cos  , Q  P  tan 
100 TABLE II. NOMINAL POWER LOSSES OF THE DISTRIBUTION
TRANSFORMERS
where Sn [kVA] is the nominal power of the distribution Cooper Losses Iron Losses
Nominal Case I
transformer from the distribution substations. power
Case II Case III Case I Case II Case III
[kVA] RO_1967 RO_2006 EU RO_1960 RO_2006 EU
TABLE I. LINGUISTIC CATEGORIES OF KL AND COSΦ [W] [W] [W] [W] [W] [W]
x x 160 3720 3100 2000 890 525 300
Linguistic Linguistic 250 5040 4400 2750 1100 680 425
KL KL
Declaration cos Declaration cos
[%] [%] 400 6850 6000 3850 1470 980 610
x1 10 0.72 M x3 31 0.89 630 9720 8200 5400 1920 1250 860
VS x2 10 0.72 (Medium) x4 33 0.91 1000 13900 1200 9500 2700 1950 1100
(Very Small) x3 13 0.74 x1 31 0.89
x4 15 0.75 H x2 33 0.91 The obtained results (in percents), are presented in the
x1 13 0.74 (High) x3 39 0.92
S x2 15 0.75 x4 41 0.93
Table III. These were calculated for peak load regime that it
(Small) x3 22 0.82 x1 39 0.92 records in system. The power losses as function of linguistic
x4 24 0.83 VH x2 41 0.93 load level of the every feeder, in the peak load regime, are
M x1 22 0.82 (Very High) x3 60 0.95 indicated in Table III.
(Medium) x2 24 0.83 x4 60 0.95
For the considered cases, from the Figure 6 it can observe
that the replacement of 6 kV voltage level with 20 kV
Thus, the hourly loading factor of a particular distribution
voltage level represents an opportunity and economic
transformer can be employed to approximate the nodal load.

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Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering Volume 10, Number 2, 2010

solution to decrease the power/energy losses and to enhance and management of energy use not entailing the use of
the reliability of distribution networks. resources, so no environmental impacts.
Reducing losses means efficient use of energy, saved
TABLE III. THE POWER LOSSES OF THE FEEDERS AS FUNCTION OF THE energy means, means less power generated. All these
LINGUISTIC LOADING LEVEL, IN PERCENTS (%)
converge to the rational use of resources, ie to a sustainable
No. Loading ΔPCable ΔPCooper ΔPIron ΔPTr ΔPT
Case energy policy development. Power/energy saved by
feeder Level [%] [%] [%] [%] [%]
I 2.31 0.34 2.31 2.65 4.96 reducing losses can be transformed into the equivalent of
1 VS II 0.20 0.30 1.59 1.88 2.09 noxious pollutants that does not occur as a result of energy-
III 0.20 0.19 1.02 1.21 1.41 generic (because it is saved).
I 7.59 0.73 1.18 1.91 9.50
2 S II 0.66 0.63 0.88 1.51 2.18
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