INVESTIGATING DEMAND RESPONSE POTENTIAL IN A MINING GROUP

Mr AJM van Tonder, Prof M Kleingeld, Dr JH Marais

North-West University (CRCED Pretoria) and consultants to HVAC International and TEMM International

ABSTRACT implement these initiatives, all the system constraints

Eskom issued warnings that the supply of electricity
would be under pressure during the winter months of
2013 due to lack of reserve capacity, and planned
maintenance that cannot be postponed any further. In
addition, Eskom’s power buy-back programme on a
number of smelters has come to an end in May 2013,
which leads to a possibility of increased come-back
load from the participating customers. This could
result in a substantial shortage of supply from the
utility during the domestic peak period (from 17h00 to
21h00).
needed to be evaluated and tested to achieve maximum
savings without impacting production.
The initial DMP programme focussed mainly on the
larger electricity consumers in South Africa [4].
Customers of the DR programme should be able to reduce
power demand on big equipment in short notice. This
reduction should then be maintained for a minimum
duration of ten minutes to two hours depending on the
type of contract. Hard-wired DR differs somewhat from
the original DR, as this programme will not be an on-
demand programme.

In response, Eskom implemented the hard-wired The hard-wired DR programme requires that customers
Demand Response (DR) programme with various end reduce their contractual targeted load every weekday from
users. One of the users includes a prominent gold June to August 2013. The requested reduction period is
mining group in South Africa. Due to the nature of the between 17h00 and 20h00 to help reduce the evening
hard-wired DR programme, the projects investigated peak created by the domestic sector.
will entail the load reduction of larger loads during a
peak period of 17h00 to 20h00 [1]. This includes an The typical peak consumption of South Africa during the
additional load reduction during the 17h00 to 18h00 months of March, May and July can be seen in Figure 1.
timeslot as opposed to standard DSM initiatives. The spike in consumption on a typical winter day during
the evening peak can be in excess of 3000 MW [2], as
In order to determine the achievable load reduction, circled in red. This spike is due to the domestic sector
numerous tests and simulation models have been increasing electricity usage, and occurs daily from 17h00
utilised. Existing DSM projects already in operation to 21h00.
could also be altered to contribute to additional peak
period load reduction. However, practical limitations
on the hardware available would need to be addressed.
Focus was placed on pumping systems, refrigeration
plants, process mills, compressed air and winder
operations. Overall potential impact of this mining
group was determined as 19.4 MW during 17h00 to
18h00 and 19.5 MW during 18h00 to 20h00. This
could result in a possible R 4.2 million in incentives for
the three winter months of 2013.

1. INTRODUCTION

With the electricity buy-back programme ended on 31

May 2013 [2], the expectation is that smelter companies
Figure 1: South African weekly electricity power profile [2]
would attempt to catch up on lost production. Although
the Megaflex tariff structure promotes electricity use
The hard-wired DR programme, like all demand response
outside of residential peak periods (18h00 – 20h00) with
initiatives, makes use of storage, excess capacity and
tariffs going up to R2/kWh [3] in winter months, this
buffers in the system to shift load to less critical timeslots.
could still be outweighed by sales of increased
To be able to achieve maximum load reduction, the
production.
system should be analysed as a whole. Actual system
In a bid to alleviate the problems expected during winter
constraints need to be evaluated to ensure that the load
2013, Eskom approached industrial consumers such as
reduction does not negatively affect production.
mining groups with a proposed hard-wired DR
programme. This programme would focus on load
reduction when the domestic peak puts additional strain
on the already overloaded grid. With a limited time to
2. HARD-WIRED DR
Hard-wired DR differs from the original DMP
programme in numerous ways. Key differences include
the following [1]:
Load reduction should occur daily and is not
triggered on demand;
The customer has the option to reject the load
reduction on any given day;
No bidding is required prior to load reduction;
DMP was unpredictable, with maximum of two
hour reduction per day;
Hard-wired DR is every weekday during June to
August 2013, from 17h00 to 20h00;
The hard-wire DR target can be defined per each
hour during the 17h00 to 20h00 timeslot;
Hard-wired DR has the added benefit of
sufficient system preparation time, and can
therefore be implemented on a wider variety of
systems;
DMP gave the customer either 10 seconds or 30
minutes to reduce load depending on the
programme;
Instantaneous DMP performance was measured
against a reference point 4 seconds before the
event;
Supplemental DMP had a Customer Base Line
(CBL) of 5 similar days prior to the event; and
Hard-wire DR uses the winter months
consumption of 2012 (June to August) as a
baseline. The CBL must be determined for each
individual weekday. Service level adjustment
done between 11AM and 4PM period.
Measurement and verification of load reduction achieved
will be done through a third party aggregator on a
monthly basis. Measurement will be done on the Eskom
MV90 metering panels [1]. These meters are already
installed on the incomer panels, with data to be supplied
by the aggregator.
This could potentially pose a risk to client’s savings since
day to day evaluation of performance is subjected to data
availability from the aggregator. If the data is not
available each day, the daily performance cannot be
calculated. Therefore, a lack in performance will only be
noticed once the data is available (weeks, months, etc.).
3. VALUE OF REALISTIC TARGETS
The implementation timeframe for the hard-wired DR
programme is significantly shorter when compared to
other load reduction programmes. Therefore, the biggest,
most viable end users needed to be identified. The
electricity use of these clients needed to be tested and/or
simulated to calculate the potential reduction.
Hard-wired DR targets should be calculated beforehand
where-after the utility signs a contract with the customer
for that predetermined target. This should be a sensible
target since the utility uses the target to determine the
national grid demand. On the other hand, the customer
gets paid according to the target he signed up for.
When a low target is contracted and the customer over-
performs, no additional incentive is received. When the
target is not achieved, the utility’s forecasting can be
inadequate, limiting the effect of the programme.
Therefore, the target should be as accurate as possible for
both the utility and customer to gain maximum benefit
from the programme.
4. LIMITED FOCUSSED GROUPS
During the investigation it was evident that the systems
targeted should be those with buffer capacity and easy to
control, such as:
Dewatering pumping systems
Rock winders
Refrigeration plants
Compressed air systems
Process mills
Dewatering pumping systems
On deep level gold mines, the water reticulation network
consists of various dams with capacities in the region of 5
ML. Adequate capacity is usually available to stop most,
if not all of the pumps. This is however subjected to the
adequate preparation of the dams.
Rock Winders
Rock winders are ideal for load reduction as well, but
require strategic simulation and planning in order to
achieve optimal results. From evaluating the system
constraints, two possibilities can be implemented to
achieve load reduction. In Figure 2 the actual load profile
is given against a proposed profile. The red dotted line
indicates the maximum achievable trips per hour of the
winder in question.
Figure 2 : Proposed winding profile with ore extraction before
the end of the day
The proposed profile in Figure 2 is to continue operation
as normal until the peak period (17h00 to 20h00), and
then the winders will be stopped for the three hour period.
After the peak period, the operation frequency must be
increased in order to meet hoisting targets. This increases
the risk of not hoisting all the targeted tons, but hoisting is
done in the cheaper, off-peak Megaflex tariff period.
In Figure 3, the hoisting is shifted out of the domestic
peak period, and distributed evenly throughout the day.
This lowers the risk of not meeting hoisting targets. The
load is shifted out of the domestic peak, and the winders
are not operated close to their maximum trips per hour.
Additional infrastructure and long implementation times
are required to implement an efficient management
system. The production forecasting, load reduction and no
demand periods should be carefully synchronised to avoid
missed opportunities.
5. RESULTS
By altering the control philosophies, additional load
reduction can be achieved by utilising existing hardware
and software of other energy efficiency strategies. On the
pumping systems for example, maintenance on old
projects, and alterations to include the 17h00 to 18h00
period, resulted in significant savings.

Case study 1
In the first case study, the pumping layout of the shaft was
changed to implement an additional pump station. The
control system was not allowed to automatically control
the pumps due to the changes in the system. Evening load
shift was done manually by control room operators.
Figure 3: Proposed winding profile with ore extracted Maintenance on the system, accompanied by a re-
throughout the entire day simulation of the system with updated constraints
indicated that additional load reduction could be achieved.
Refrigeration Plants
Reduced ambient temperatures during the winter months
enable the switching off of some of the refrigeration
plants during the off-peak periods to achieve additional
load reduction. In some instances the mines would switch
off some of their refrigeration plants for the whole of
winter. The effect of the lower cooling capacity on the
temperature in the mine is investigated to determine the
feasibility of the load reduction.

Process Mills
Energy management on precious metal plants is usually
disregarded due to the cost implications of lost
production. A load reduction strategy would therefore
require careful planning. From the investigation it was
found that by stopping a different mill on each weekday
during evening peak hours will result in 1% less time
available for milling. The mills are running on at average
93% utilisation rate, therefore the 1% could be made up
through increased utilisation. However, a 2MW load clip
can be achieved (given in Figure 4).
14000
12000
10000
Power [kW]
Figure 5: Load reduction achieved during test phase of re-
implementation of automatic control
By manually testing the simulated changes on the actual
system, a load reduction of 6.73 MW was achieved, as
indicated in Figure 5. The reduction was only tested
during the 18h00 – 20h00 timeslot, but the test indicated
that additional capacity would be available to achieve the
programme requirements of 17h00 to 20h00.
In conjunction with other peak clipping initiatives, a
demand reduction of 7 MW (17h00 – 18h00), 13 MW
(18h00-19h00) and 14 MW (19h00-20h00) were possible.
A payback of R 2.4 million would be possible over the
three month period as a result from the kickback of the

8000
6000
hard-wired DR programme. These initiatives included
4000
extraction fans, compressed air and cooling auxiliary
2000
projects.
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Case study 2
The second system investigated entailed the additional
WeekdayTime of day [hour]
Weekday proposed
17h00 to 18h00 timeframe to be included in a project that
was recently re-implemented as part of a maintenance
Figure 4: Load clip available on process mills
programme. Because all the data has already been
processed for simulation, the possibility of an additional
hour load shift could be verified with minimal effort. A
layout of the system is given in Figure 6.
Surface Pre
Cooling Dam
the calculations, tests and simulations are tabulated in
Table 1.
These savings are calculated under the assumption that
the shafts can be signed up as individual clients. In the
instances where the shafts had showed negative load
Surface Cooling Surface Fridge
shifts due to changes in mining schedules, the amount of
load reduction was taken as 0 MW. The majority of the
Tower Plant

savings could be achieved by shaft G, due to the control

1200 Hot Dam 1 1200 Hot Dam 2
equipment available and mining schedule of the specific
shaft.
1200-1 1200-2 1200-3 1200-4 1200-5

Table 1: Potential savings for the three peak demand time

periods
2180-1 2180-2 2180-3 2180-4 2180-5 2180 Hot Dam 1 2180 Hot Dam 2 2180 Hot Dam 3
Total (MW)
Figure 6: Mine dewatering pumping system Shaft 17-18 18-19 19-20
A 0 0 0
B 1 1.5 1
From a simulation model previously developed, it was C 1 0.5 0.5
evident that the additional hour could easily be achieved D 0.5 0 0
with the storage capacity of the system. Care had to be E 1 1 1
taken to ensure that the comeback load will not affect the F 0.5 0 0
morning peak period (7h00 to 10h00), where the G 7 14 14
H 1 1 1
electricity cost would outweigh the incentive to reduce I 2.1 0 0
load in the evening peak periods. Figure 7 plots the J 0 1 1.5
average dam levels of the pumping system against the K 1.5 1.5 0.5
average number of pumps running before implementation. L 2.5 1 0
M 0 2 2
N 0 0 0
90 2.5 O 0 0 0
80 P 0 0 0
70 2
18.1MW 23.5MW 21.5MW
Number of pumps
Dam Level (%)

60
50
1.5 If all the potential savings are achieved, a potential
40
1
kickback from the utility to the value of R4.5 million can
30 be obtained. This is based only on the R1.2/kWh
20
10
0.5
incentive. Additional cost savings resulting from shifting
0 0 load out of more expensive Megaflex price tariffs to less
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223 expensive periods has been excluded.
Dam 1 % Hour Dam 2 %

Average # of level 1 pumps Average # of level 2 pumps

6. CONCLUSION

Figure 7: Pumping system key performance indicators The three case studies were part of an investigation to
determine what the potential load reduction would be on a
In order to prepare the dams, the pumping procedure was whole mining group. During the investigation, the biggest
required to be shifted an hour earlier. With the morning electricity consumers were chosen where additional load
peak period, the inflow of water from the shaft was low. reduction could be achieved. Through various tests,
This resulted in pumping usually starting an hour after the simulations and calculations, the target was calculated as
morning peak period. By starting the pumping procedure 18.1MW (17h00-1800), 23.5 MW (18h00-19h00) and
directly after the morning peak, the dams was at adequate 21.5 MW (19h00-20h00). This would ultimately result in
levels to allow a three hour load shift during the evening a potential R4.5 million incentive from the utility to the
peak as required by the hard-wired DR programme. customer if al opportunities are pursued and implemented.
An additional 3 MW load reduction was achieved during With a proper time frame to implement the load
the 17h00 to 18h00 timeslot. This would produce a cost reduction, more extensive testing, scheduling and
saving of R 260 000 if implemented for the duration of reprogramming of systems could produce additional load
the hard-wired DR programme. reduction capacity.

Case study 3 Hard-Wire DR has the benefit that it is at a known time

The last case study is the calculation of the potential and duration every day, and planning can be done
target load reduction of the whole mine group. This was accordingly. Therefore, the hard-wire DR would be
done for each shaft, as per the requirement of the contract preferred to conventional DMP, as changes in production
for the measurement and verification. The findings from can be anticipated and rescheduled, minimising losses due
to load shifting.
The programme is still at the beginning phase, and the
first trial during winter 2013 will prove whether it is
worth it or not. The long term effect on production and
working environment key performance indicators should
also be evaluated to determine the overall impact of hard-
wired DR.

7. REFERENCES

[1] Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, “Demand Response

"Partnering to beat the peak this winter" (Industrial &
Commercial),” Eskom Holdings SOC Limited,
Johannesburg, 2013.
[2] Dames, B,“State of the power system update,” Eskom
Holdings SOC limited, Johannesburg, 2013.
[3] Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, “Tariffs 2013_2014
Internet,” Eskom Holdings SOC Limited,
Johannesburg, 2013.
[4] Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, “Inerim integrated
report for the six months ended 30 September 2012,”
Eskom Holdings SOC Limited, Johannesburg, 2012.

7. AUTHOR(S)

Principal Author: Kobus van Tonder holds a Master’s

degree in Electronic Engineering
from the North West University. He
is busy with his PhD degree in
Electrical Engineering and is a
consulting engineer to HVAC
International and TEMM
International.

Co-authors: Prof Marius Kleingeld holds a PhD in

mechanical engineering. He is a lecturer at the CRCED
Pretoria, a division of North-West University. He is also a
consultant to HVAC International (Pty) Ltd. and TEMM
International (Pty) Ltd.

Co-authors: Dr Johan Marais holds a PhD degree in

electronic engineering from the North West University.
He is enrolled for post-doctoral studies with CRCED
Pretoria, a division of North-West University. He is also a
consultant to HVAC International (Pty) Ltd. and TEMM
International (Pty) Ltd.

Presenter: The paper is presented by Kobus van Tonder.