Electricity Demand in Sri Lanka - Conclusions & Recommendations

 Part 1 : Electricity Demand in Sri Lanka -  Key Findings

Conclusions

• a. Time interval of Peak time coincides with the system peak hours and no further revision is required in Peak time interval.
• b. Average power demand on Sundays during “Day” and “Peak” intervals is higher than the average “Off-Peak” demand of a typical weekday. Therefore, altering TOU time intervals for Sundays and Public Holidays as off-peak is inappropriate to Sri Lanka.
• c. Despite natural improvements in system load factor over the past fifteen years, aggressive action is still required to curb further growth in peak demand, since an adverse trend is observed during recent past.
• d. Mandating the TOU tariff for Bulk consumers has not become effective as anticipated and there is much potential for consumers to reduce their peak demand by shifting loads and improving their power factors. Peak time tariff can be increased further as an incentive to reduce system peak demand.

Recommendations

a. Distribution Licensees have already installed programmable meters with memory capacity, for all the bulk consumers of General Purpose category. Data from these meters shall be used to conduct a further study to analyze the implications of introducing mandatory TOU tariff scheme for bulk General Purpose consumers. Study should cover both demand shifting potential of the consumers and the revenue implications of the utilities.

b. A detailed study should be conducted on the load profiles of Domestic consumers, whom contribute heavily to the system peak demand, the possibility to adopt mandatory/ optional TOU tariff for larger domestic consumers shall be examined through this study. Since, existing metering equipment of domestic consumers is not geared for such data collection, sample data will have to be collected using data loggers.

c. Implementation of power factor charges and/or reactive energy (kVArh) charges shall be further studied to curb increasing MVAr demand, especially on the charge value and related incentive mechanism.

d. The relative rates for Time-Of-Use intervals shall be reexamined and adjusted (increase peak charges) to ensure that price signals are adequate to motivate consumers to shift demand from peak to off-peak time.

Original Source: Excerpt of the Study Report on Electricity Demand Curve and System Peak Reduction released by The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, December 2012

Electricity Demand in Sri Lanka - Key Findings

The Electricity system load profile of Sri Lanka has a high evening peak and as a result has a low load factor. On the other hand limitations in the Electricity supply side to accommodate the demand have caused power cuts in recent past. Some steps have already been taken to mitigate the issue with system peak, including the new tariff structure which came into effect from January 2011 onwards. Therefore, studying about the system load profile and finding further options to flatten the system load curve is a timely requirement.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, being the economic, technical and safety regulator of the electricity industry in Sri Lanka, has decided to conduct a study to improve this situation. Therefore, collecting and compiling of relevant data and making conclusions on the same matter were carried out through this study.

The general objective of this study is to conduct detailed analysis of the system load profile, analyze the contributing factors for the high evening peak demand and practical demand side management options to arrest further worsening of the system load factor. Also the scope of the study contained a study about historical characteristics of the system load profile and a study about the consumer response (TOU Consumers) to tariff change in 2011.

The Overall Study consisted of following parts. 
 

1. A Literature Survey

2. A study based on Electricity load profile data and electricity consumption data, published by Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) and Submitted by Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)

3. A study based on Data Received from Distribution Licensees (DLs)

Key Findings

1. With the Literature survey, following aspects have been found that can be used to reduce the peak Electricity demand and flatten the Electricity load profile.

• a. Introducing a power factor penalty.
• b. Introduce a charge for reactive energy usage by consumers. (a kVArh charge)
• c. Postpone demands of industrial consumers during peak hours.
• d. Implementing building codes, Using Equipment and building standards at the design stage and as well as at the operation stage, Conducting Regular Audits to find out key issues etc.

2. Followings are found out using the data on Electricity load profile and Electricity consumption.

• a. During the two year period from 2009 to 2011 there is a rapid increase in Electricity sales when comparing with electricity sales growth data before 2009. 15 year average demand increase is 6.8%
• b. Electricity system Maximum demand has not shown a clear increasing trend from 2006 to 2010. However, from 2010 to 2011 maximum demand shows a rapid increase. Maximum demand growth rate is lower than sales demand growth; the 15 year average maximum demand growth rate is 6.5%.
• c. Annual System Load Factor, which had been showing an increasing trend from 2008 to 2010, has decreased in 2011 to 60.8%.
• d. The typical system peak at present occurs- 19.00 to 20.00; with a steep increase from 18:00 to 19:00, and depreciates with a slow rate of decreasing which takes about 3 hours. (From 19:00 to 22:00)
• e. During a typical day, base active power demand of Sri Lanka is about 40% of the corresponding maximum demand. Also demand goes above 80% of the maximum demand during a period of 4 hours per day. 

 Part 2 : Electricity Demand in Sri Lanka - Conclusions & Recommendations


Original Source: Excerpt of the Study Report on Electricity Demand Curve and System Peak Reduction released by The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, December 2012.

Poor Transparency Burdens Consumers

Did Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) reveal this..?

Despite the cost of electricity declining in Sri Lanka in real terms the benefits have not been transferred to the consumers, because of the failure of the regulator to publish the cost structure and make the process of conversion of cost to prices transparent, an energy sector consultant revealed.

“If you look at the cost structure in manufacturing a unit (kWh) of electricity in 2011 it has declined to Rs.14.96 from Rs.16.91 from a year earlier. This has been achieved due to generation capacity cost being lower due to the debt moratorium and lower fuel cost due to Puttalam Power Plant which brought a cost reduction of Rs. 16 billion in 2011 he said.

But my question is whether any one of us as electricity consumers has been informed. Did Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) reveal us?”, questioned Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya, Director of Resource Management Associates delivering the key note address at the 9th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Ceramics and Glass Council last week. The current electricity price structure which was evolved over the years is complicated and even the engineers find it difficult to understand, he said. He alleged that the current confusion in energy pricing is totally ‘purposely made, ad-hoc and irresponsible”.

It is also learnt that the network losses of Sri Lankan electricity supply has been declining and could even be the lowest in South Asia. According to the projections the target network losses of 12.1% (out of the input transmission network – GWh) for the year 2015 is even within the reach. However the benefits have not been transferred to the customer.

He also alleged that electricity subsidies are not transparently compensated and pointed out even the ‘Road Map’ for the next five years which was announced in 2011 with proposed structural changes to the customer tariff to make customers pay what it costs has now been abandoned. He called for an electricity industry based on transparency and economic principles.

Source : The Nation, 02/09/2012

We don’t have an energy problem, we have a conversion problem..!

So what energy crisis? The sun is coming!

If it were up to the sun, we would have no energy problem. Every half hour on the Earth’s surface, there is more than enough light to provide energy needs for the whole world in a year. We don’t have an energy problem, we have a conversion problem. If we are able to harvest sunlight in smart way, then we can prevent a global energy crisis.

That sounds nice but that does not mean it will succeed, at least that is what many different bodies want us to believe. It’s too expensive, takes too much space, too much material, it costs more energy than it brings, and it is still not efficient enough. While all these doubts play a role for solar energy in the distant future, it is still a marginal player in the global energy game. Back-light takes the edge off these myths and shows that a solar economy is much closer than we think. Next year, there are already rolling Giga Watts of solar cells on the conveyor belt. The industry has mastered the technology and the machines.

Radical German government measures have proved that it is possible. Villagers have completely installed solar power on empty lands. Power stations contribute to the network and where they are deserved. Many countries follow the German example: The Americans have their Grand Solar Plan and the French President Sarkozy is talking about a solar plan with the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Spanish electricity producers, oil companies will be left out. So what energy crisis? The sun is coming!

 
Credit : http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/