What’s the maximum amount of money saved by minimizing line loss?
When electric power is distributed through the national grid, the nominal voltages are typically: 345, 138, 34.5, and 12.47kv. When voltages are higher then their typical nominal level, power can be saved from a reduction of line loss. Power saved = money saved. My Question: When increasing the voltage or conductor diameter from the standards today, what’s the maximum amount of money saved from minimizing line loss? Is it enough to be worth the investment of the cost of replacing higher rated equipment?
Public Comments
- No what causes the increase of voltage? and does it cost money? The cost of replacing the conductor is a tremendous initial expense . Then to recover that cost is what they look at . Also other forms of power is where the extra cash is dumped. With thoughts of present technology being obsolete before making money on your idea.
- Your thought of using higher voltages is applied in may grid systems already. Many have had insulator changes which allowed for the usage of higher voltage without replacing the copper conductor. This of course allows for more power to be transmitted without building new towers or getting new right of ways approved. And you are correct, the improvement in decreasing the loss alone has paid for these improvements which not only gained in increased power supplied but more efficently with less losses. I believe this is in some of the annual reports of power companies as those contain such information to the share holders or investors.
- Switch to HVDC will get more.
