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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Distribution capacitor automation that controls voltage and saves energy

Book ·
OSTI ID:192063
The Electric Distribution Business Line of Southern California Edison Company (SCE) has begun a program to improve the distribution system operations and electrical efficiency. The program, called the Distribution System Efficiency Enhancement Program (DSEEP), consists of five principal projects: Automated Switching, Circuit Lock-Out Alarming, Substation Monitoring and Control, Outage Management, and Distribution Capacitor Automation Project (DCAP). DCAP is the largest and most sophisticated of the projects being implemented. The project takes advantage of fine-tuning customer voltages for conservation voltage regulation (CVR) benefits as well as minimizes line losses by reducing unnecessary reactive power flow. DCAP can also help to increase transmission line and substation capacity by improving system power factor. The DCAP system takes advantage of the distributed processing capability of meters, capacitor controllers, radios, and substation processors. DCAP uses two-way packet radios and new electronic meters that read real-time customer voltages as well as energy consumption. The radios transmit customer meter voltage information and capacitor status to substation processors, where a control algorithm runs to determine which capacitors should be turned on or off. The objective of DCAP is to reduce over-all net energy transfer from the substation to the customer and meet system VAR requirements. SCE has tested the system on 66 circuit capacitors (including 3 substation capacitors) on 18 circuits served from two substations. The positive results of the DCAP demonstrations has led to an aggressive roll-out plan for system-wide implementation of automating over 7600 switched capacitors by year-end 1995.
OSTI ID:
192063
Report Number(s):
CONF-940129--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English