Module-1

Power Delivery System

Anil Kumar Panjiyar

IOE, Pulchowk Campus
Tribhuvan University, Nepal

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 Reference Books:
• Power Distribution Planning: H. Lee Willis
• Electric Power Distribution : A.S. Pabla

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 Importance of Electric Power
Distribution System :
• Reliable Power Supply
• Load Growth and Demand Management
• Efficiency and Loss Reduction
• Incorporating Renewable Energy
• Power Quality and Voltage Regulation
• Customer Service and Satisfaction

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Generation and Utilization Process of
Electrical Energy

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 Power Delivery System
The primary mission is to deliver power to electrical
consumers at their place of consumption and in ready
to use form.
Place of consumption
– Be dispersed throughout the service territory in rough
proportion to customer location.
– Have sufficient capacity to meet the customer peak demand
and energy demand.
– provide highly reliable delivery to its customer
Ready to use form
– at the utilization voltage required for electrical appliances
and equipment.
– provide stable voltage quality to its customer
– And of course to meet the above missions at least possible
cost.
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Power Delivery System (Contd.)
In essence there are only two types of equipment
that perform the power delivery function.
• Conductors
(Transmission & distribution lines)
• Transformers
(Substations)
Added to these basic equipment types;
• Protective equipment
( Provide safety, reliability and fail safe operation)
• Voltage regulation equipment
(maintain the voltage within the acceptable range as
the load changes for both safety and economic
reason)

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As the power is moved from generation to customer
it is first moved in bulk quantity at high voltage and as
power is dispersed throughout the service territory, it is
gradually moved down to lower voltage levels. Why?

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 Distribution System
• The final stage in the delivery of electricity to consumers
that carries electricity from the transmission system
and delivers it to consumers.

• The transmission power lines will enter a distribution

substation where the voltage will be stepped down to
distribution levels and it will be distributed for use by
industrial, commercial and residential customers.
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Distribution System Voltage Level
• Within the distribution system itself there are different voltage levels
• As indicated in Figure;
• Power is taken from distribution sub- stations by means of primary
distribution or feeders

• Distribution transformers along the primary distribution change the

primary distribution voltage to the secondary distribution voltage.

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 Distribution System Voltage Level
• Residential consumers are typically supplied from small pole
mounted transformers
• Utilization Voltage:
– Public safety is prime concern
– Usually far from economical Voltage level.
– The application of these voltages for anything more than
very local distribution at the neighborhood level results in
• unacceptably high electrical losses,
• severe voltage drops,
• and sky-high equipment cost.
• Commonly industrial and large commercial customers are
connected to the higher voltage levels.
• It is then their own on-site substation that will step-down the
distribution voltage to levels that are required within the
facility.
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 Transmission and Distribution Systems
By voltage Class:
• Transmission: 66 kV -1100kV
• Distribution: 33kV and below (some country even 66 kV or higher
is categorized as distribution.)
By Function:
• Transmission: Transmission of bulk power over larger distance
• Distribution: in the consumer premises includes utilization voltage
including transformer & their source.
By Configuration:
• Transmission: often designed and operates in network
• Distribution: often designed and/or operates radially.
By Design point of view:
• Transmission: grid status mainly the power and distance
• Distribution: Consumers demand and location
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The Distribution System Terminology:
Feeder: Line which supplies a point of distribution
network without being tapped at any
intermediate point.
“without being tapped at any intermediate point”
means that feeders are not tapped at any intermediate
point to give supply for direct use to consumers.
Distributor: A line from which tapings are taken
along its length to provide supply to various
consumers.
Distributor is supplied from a distribution substation
where voltage is finally stepped down to utilization
voltage for consumers’ use.
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 The Distribution System Terminology (contd.):

• Service Wire (Or Secondary Distribution):

The conductor which route power at utilization voltage
within very close proximity to customers.
• Distribution Transformer (Service Transformer
/Distribution Substation):
The transformer which lowers the voltage at utilization
voltage level.
• Load Center:
Area served by a particular service transformer.
• Primary Distribution (Feeder):
The line (conductor) which feds power to the primary of
service transformer.
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 The Distribution System Terminology (contd.):
• Substation( Area Substation):
Meeting point between transmission & distribution the
primary distribution lines receives power at this
juncture.
• Service Area:
Service area of a particular substation or feeder is the
area served by that particular substation or feeder

• Sub-transmission
Line:
The line (conductor)
which feds power to
the primary of
transformer at
substations.

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 Distribution System Layouts
• In fact the distribution lines, their layouts and
voltage levels vary widely. These can be broadly
classified as:
• Single-phase or three phase prospective
i.e switching from 3-phase to single phase
• Feeder layouts
e.g. radial, loop, network etc.
• Construction
e.g. overhead/ underground etc.
• Urban and rural distribution systems
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Distribution System Layouts (Contd.)
From Distribution planning and design
prospective:
a line type has five attributes that
determine how well it matches the
particular needs of distribution system

– Does it fit?
– Capacity
– Voltage drop
– Reliability
– Cost

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Transition from three phase
• Exactly how and where the transition from 3-phase to 1-
phase ckt. Takes place in a distribution system depends
on planner preferences and other situations.
• For distribution system, three-phase segments have a
tremendous advantage:
– The current only has to be sent “out” to the load.
– There are no losses or voltage drop associated with
bringing the current “back” to the source in a
completely balanced ckt.
• By contrast, if serving a load from a single-phase Y-circuit
(one-phase and neutral) Current flows goes out of the
load & then must return and there are losses associated
with each direction. AKP/DSPM/ L-1 17
Two popular methods for 3-phse to one-
phase Transition :
American system
• Use 1-phase laterals and
relatively small 1-phase
transformers:

The chief advantage of

American system is low
capital investment when
the load density is low.

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1- phase transformer connection
• The secondary voltage level in American system for
residential service is 120V/240V depending on the load
requirements.
• Lower wattage devices (e.g. light) 120V. Higher wattage
devices e.g. Oven connected to 240V.
• Single-phase distribution transformers have one high-
voltage primary winding and two low voltage secondary
windings.
• Secondary coils each rated at a nominal 120 V may be
connected in parallel to supply a two-wire 120-V circuit or
they may be connected in series to supply a three-wire
120/240-V single circuit
• Former is used where the loads are comparatively small and
the length of the secondary circuits is short. It is often used
for a single phase customer requiring power only at 120-V
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120 V Secondary

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120V/240 V secondary

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European system
• European Layout uses few laterals and 1-phase primary
circuit.
• Service Transformers are larger & often 3-phase
In the secondary circuit
Individual consumers are
provided with single phase
Service from three phase
secondary circuit.

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Practical System
• European system:
– Quite appropriate for higher load densities as are often found
in urban areas.
– 3-phase secondary provides fairly well balanced loading on
the service level, decreasing losses and increasing utilization.
• While both American 3-phase 4 wire
and European styles line
were largely 1-phase
laterals
institutionalized
• The difference in 3-phase
laterals
utilization voltage 230
V in European and 120
V in American system
also seems substantial.

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1-phase ground return
• Up to 66 kV single phase-ground return are in use in US,
India , China, Australia
• Major problem is high quality earthing at each load
center/consumer
• When the distance between load center/consumer is very
high may be preferable option.

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 Feeder Layout Types
• There are three fundamentally different ways
– Radial,
– Loops
– Network

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Primary Radial Distribution System
• Each circuit comes out of a substation as a separate
feeder and has no interconnection with any other circuit
• In general, the main feeder are 3-phase-3-wire or 3-
phase-4-wire and the laterals may be three- phase or
single-phase or both. Circuit 1 for factory

• The current magnitude is Secondary

S/S
the greatest in the section Circuit 2 feeding s/s in the city

that leave the substation.

Circuit 3 for rural areas
• From there on, the current
keeps decreasing towards
Radial Primary Feeder
the tail end of the feeder.

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Primary Radial Distribution System Contd.
• Usually, as the current lessens towards end sections,
the size of the feeder conductors is also reduced.
• However, the permissible voltage regulation may
restrict lower size which is based only on the
current-carrying capacity, of the feeder.
• Advantages:
-Economical
-Use of short distribution feeders possible
-Suitable for heavy load near the substations
-Suitable for isolated loads
-Suitable for rural electrification

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Primary Radial Distribution System Contd.
• The biggest advantage of the radial system
configuration, in addition to its lower cost, is the
simplicity of analysis.
• Variety of option but two major classification possible.
• On debt side,
– Radial feeder systems are less reliable than loop or
network systems because there is only one path between
the substation and the customer.
– Thus if any elements along the path fails, a loss of power
delivery results.
• But a cleaver design and planning of radial
distribution system can achieve a fair degree of
reliability even without much addition of cost (discus
later).
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Modified radial-type primary feeder

With express feeder and

back-feed
With tie and sectionalizing
switches
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Primary Loop Distribution System
• Loop system consists of a
distribution design with two
paths between the sources
and customer (Substations
and service transformer) .
• The system loops through the
feeder load area and returns
back to the bus.
• The parallel feeder paths can
also be connected to
separate substation and
supplied from separate
transformers.
• In general, a separate
feeder breaker on each end of
the loop is preferred, despite
the cost involved.

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Primary Loop Distribution System Contd.
• In case of fault the breaker will remain open until the
fault is isolated from both directions.
• is especially beneficial to provide service for loads where
high service reliability is important.
• Usually, the size of the feeder conductor is kept the same
throughout the loop.
• Equipment is sized and each loop is designed so that
service can be maintained regardless of where an open
point is on the loop.
• In terms of complexity, a loop feeder system is only slightly
more complicated than a radial system
• The major disadvantage of loop systems is capacity and
cost.
• A loop must be able to meet all power and voltage drop
requirements when fed from only one end, not both.
• This layout is often called European because this
configuration is preferred in Europe.
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Tie lines
• A tie line is a line that connects
two supply systems to provide
emergency service to one system
from another
• It provides emergency service for
an adjacent feeder or substations
for the reduction of outage time
during emergency conditions.
• It also eliminate the necessity of
having an emergency backup
supply at every substation.
• Disconnect switches are installed
at certain intervals in main feeder
tie lines to facilitate load
transfer and service restoration.

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Primary Network Distribution System
• The distribution network involves multiple paths
between all points in the network.
• Power flow between any two points is usually split
among several paths, and if a failure occurs it instantly
and automatically re-routes itself.
• Rarely does a distribution network involve primary
voltage level network design, in which all or most of
the switches between feeders are closed so that the
feeder system is connected between substations.
• They are much more complicated, than other forms of
distribution, and thus more difficult to analyze.
• Loadings and power flow, fault currents and protection,
must be determined by network techniques such as
those used by transmission planners.
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Primary Network Distribution System Cntd.
• In densely populated area
– Networks are not
inherently expensive than
the radial system designed
to serve the same loads.
– It only increases the
complexity of the design.
But in other areas a
network configuration has
definite increment to meet
the excess capacity cost.
– The excess capacity cost
has to be justifiable on the
basis of reliability.
• The alternative to this in
urban area is several loop
crossing each other
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Some Special secondary's connections
• Often utilities prefer to keep the secondary of each
distribution transformer separate from all others.
• However sometime the banking (parallel connection of the
secondary sides of two or more distribution transformers) is
practiced in residential and light-commercial areas where the
services are relatively close to each other
• Separate individual LV circuit breaker is also kept

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Transformer Banking Contd.
• Advantages
– Reduced voltage dip or light flicker due to motor starting
– Improved service continuity or reliability.
– Improved voltage regulation.
– Improved flexibility in accommodating load growth (e.g. increase
in the average loading of transformers without corresponding increase in
the peak load)
• However, secondary banking have an inherent
disadvantage:
– The difficulty in performing TLM to keep up with changing load
conditions
– The main concern when designing a banked secondary system
is the equitable load division among the transformers.
• Today, in general, the banking is applied to the secondaries of
single-phase transformers, and all transformers in a bank
must be supplied from the same phase of the primary feeder.
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 SECONDARY NETWORKS
Used in exceptional cases where the reliability and service
continuity considerations are far more important than the
cost and economic considerations (e.g., downtown areas or
business districts, some military installations, and hospitals)

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Overhead and Underground lines
• In OH we have normally bare conductor but in under
ground Cables.
– The safety and reliability is very high
– Costly may be 2 -10 times costlier than OH lines
(If the soil is easy to dig, soil has few rocks, ground has no other obstacles
like water pipes or telephone wires more no. of circuit may be less
expensive)
• The UG are only option in many cases
– Extreme weather condition (snow wind)
– Densely populated urban areas having right of way problem
❑ In urban areas, UG is almost the only choice;
– too many circuits are needed
– above-ground space is too expensive or just not available
– But urban duct-bank construction is expensive on a per-length
basis
– fortunately, circuits are short
❑ In Rural construction cost less but length is tremendous
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Comparison overhead vs underground
Cost Aesthetics
• Overhead’s number one • Underground’s number one
advantage. advantage. Much less visual
• Significantly less cost, clutter.
especially initial cost. Safety
Longer life • Less chance for public
• 30 to 50 years vs. 20 to 40 for contact.
new underground works. Reliability
Reliability • Significantly fewer short and
• Shorter outage durations long-duration interruptions.
because of faster fault finding O&M
and faster repair. • Notably lower maintenance
Loading costs (no tree trimming).
• Overhead circuits can more Longer reach
readily withstand overloads. • Less voltage drop because
reactance is lower.
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 Overhead Mainline with UG Taps
• The larger, high-current conductors are overhead. (If the
mains are routed along major roads, they have less visual
impact.)
• Lateral taps down side roads and into residential
areas, parks, and shopping areas are underground.
• Larger primary equipment like regulators, reclosers,
capacitor banks, and automated switches are installed
where they are more economical — on the overhead
mains.
• Because the mainline is a major contributor to
reliability, this system is still less reliable than an all-
underground system.
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UG practices
• Overhead primary with • Converting overhead to
UG secondary underground
– Underground secondary It is costly, yet there are
eliminates some of the locations and situations
clutter associated with
overhead construction.
where it is appropriate for
utilities and their customers.
– Eliminating much of the
street and yard crossings – Circuit extensions
keeps the clutter to the – Circuit enhancements to
pole-line corridor. carry more load
– Costs are reasonable – Road-rebuilding projects
because the primary-level
equipment is still all
overhead.
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Cable in OH Application
• ABC conductors are becoming popular in many countries.
• The ABC conductors comprise three separately insulated
aluminum phase conductors with an insulated aluminum
alloy neutral conductors/ messenger wire.
• The three phase cores are wound around the neutral to
form a “bundle” the total line tension is applied only to
the neutral conductor/messenger

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Advantage of ABC LT conductors
• Reliability: Reduced frequency of
outages with insulated conductors.
• Safety: Due to insulation safety to
power utility personnel and the public
is increased.
• Clearance: Reduced clearance
• Lower reactance: Reactance is about
1/4th of equivalent separated circuit.
Improve voltage regulation.
• Non-Technical loss: hooking and theft
of electricity greatly reduced.
• Technical loss: Leakage current due to
touching of tress and other object
reduces.
• Connection: reduced sparking and
voltage fluctuation.
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Disadvantage of ABC Conductor

• ABC has higher capital cost than conventional

open wire construction, but this is partially
offset by a saving through reduced pole height
and less costly construction.
• Due to twisting of insulated conductors it is
more difficult to locate a insulation fault. But
experience shows this happenings are rare.
• Neutral are under grater stress and consequently
likely to break in case of falling trees etc. This
is offset by special breakage point in support
fitting design to break before conductor UTS.
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Covered conductors in OH line
• Utilities with heavy tree cover often use covered
conductors — conductors with a thin insulation covering.
• The covering is not rated for full line-to-ground voltage,
but it is thick enough to reduce the chance of flashover
when a tree branch falls between conductors.
• Also helps with animal faults
• Covered conductor is also called tree wire or
weatherproof wire.
• The insulation materials polyethylene, XLPE, and EPR are
common.
• Insulation thicknesses typically range from 30 to 150 mils
(1 mil = 0.001 in. = 0.00254 cm)
• From a design and operating viewpoint, covered
conductors must be treated as bare conductors
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Drawbacks of Covered conductors in OH line
• It is much more susceptible to burndowns caused by fault
arcs.
• increase the installed cost somewhat.
• These are heavier and have a larger diameter
• the ice and wind loading is higher than a comparable bare
conductor.
• Covered conductors are more susceptible to corrosion,
– If water penetrates the covering, it settles at the low points
and causes corrosion (it cannot evaporate).
– On bare conductors, corrosion is rare; rain washes bare
conductors periodically, and evaporation takes care of
moisture.
– The Australian experience has been that complete corrosion
can occur with covered wires in 15 to 20 years of operation .

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Urban Vs Rural Electrification
• The special characteristics of the urban distribution
system are;
– Capacity limits design: Voltage drop & losses costs are seldom
a major concern requiring large no. of feeders.
– Loads are large & often 3-phases
– Reliability requirements are above average
– Route are restricted ie. land problem
• For these reasons there are some common adaptations
to work within these design constraints as follows
– UG practice:
– Maximum size cable is often installed:
– Very grid like planning:

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And reinforcing is often done by:

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Rural Distribution
The special characteristics
of the Rural distribution Some common
system are;
– Sparse load
adaptations
– Loads vary from small single – Application of higher voltage
phase to medium sized than typical in urban
three phase. distribution to meet higher
– Distances are tremendous load reach.
– Losses are high – Use of single phase feeders
– Voltage drop limits design – May require extreme and
– Reliability requirements innovative measures
below average – No provision for contingency
– Often not profitable back up of feeders
– Radial feeders layouts are
normally the rule.
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