Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering

Transmission and Distribution Design

For Bachelor’s Students- Fourth Year/ First Part

By: Asst. Prof. Menaka Karki

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 Chapter-1
Introduction

Asst. Prof. Menaka Karki

Institute of Engineering,
Tribhuvan University, Nepal
 Introduction [4 hours]

• Advantages of grid systems

• Transmission line design & planning
• Technical and economic comparison of ac and dc transmission
• Physical structures of transmission lines: ampacities, towers, wire choices, insulation and
protection against lightning, shielding, grounding, sagging and clearances
• Right‐of‐way and other design and construction problems, terrain and weather implications
• Transmission system design for Nepal

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 • Transmission and distribution system connects
different SOURCE POINTS and the LOAD POINTS

• Making the electrical system a grid

• There are certain advantages in grid system

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 Advantages of grid/ connected systems
• Exchange of peak loads
– An important advantage of interconnected system is that the peak load of the power station can be exchanged.
– If the load curve of a power station shows a peak demand that is greater than the rated capacity of the plant, then the excess load can
be shared by other stations interconnected with it.
• Use of Older Plants
– The interconnected grid system makes it possible to use the older and less efficient plants to carry peak loads of short durations.
– Even though such plants may be inadequate when used alone, they have sufficient capacity to carry short peaks of loads when
interconnected with other modern plants.
• Ensures economical operation
– The interconnected grid system makes the operation of concerned power stations quite economical.
– It is because sharing of load among the stations is arranged in such a way that more efficient stations work continuously throughout
the year at a high load factor and the less efficient plants work for peak load hours only.
• Increases diversity factor
– The load curves of different interconnected stations are generally different.
– The result is that the maximum demand on the system is much reduced as compared to the sum of individual maximum demands of
different stations.
– In other words, the diversity factor of the system is improved, so increasing the effective capacity of the system.

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 Advantages of grid/ connected systems

• Reduces plant reserve capacity

– Every power station is required to have a standby unit for emergencies.
– But when several power stations are connected in parallel, the reserve capacity of the grid system is reduced drastically. Increases
the efficiency, reduces cost of the system.
• Increases reliability of supply
– The interconnected system increases the reliability of supply.
– If a major breakdown occurs in one station, continuity of the supply can be maintained by other healthy stations.
• Possibility for Electricity trading
– Cost of electricity reduces

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 Transmission line design
• Electrical Considerations
– Selection of voltage
– Number of circuit
– Conductor selection and spacing
– Voltage regulation……

• Mechanical Considerations
– Mechanical loading
– Span, sag and tension requirements
– Required clearance
– Line routing
– Type and number of conductors…..

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 Technical and economic comparison of ac and dc transmission
For equal Power transmission capacity of HVDC and HVAC lines

• HVDC
– More economic for bulk power distance
– more break even distance

• HVAC
– Economic for distance
– Lower break even distance

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 Technical and economic comparison of AC and DC transmission
• Advantages of HVDC • Disadvantages of HVDC
– HVDC needs less number of conductors, Reduced line cost – Converters generate harmonics on both ac and
– Bipolar HVDC and three phase HVAC dc sides so filters are required
– HVDC: Reduces pylon (steel lattice tower structure) and wiring size/ dimensions – Converter stations are expensive
for given power transmission capacity. – More maintenance of line insulators required
– Lesser Losses in HVDC – Circuit breaking in multi terminal DC system is
– Skin effect is absent in DC. Corona loss significantly lower in the case of DC. difficult and costlier.
– HVDC: Better controllability – Voltage transformation not easy hence cannot
be employed for distribution, sub-transmission
– Better voltage regulation. and backbone transmission.
– Absence of charging current and limitation of cable length
– No reactive compensation needed
– Increasing capacity of an existing power grid in situation where additional wires are difficult.
– Asynchronous interconnection: No stability and synchronization problem
– End point to end point long haul bulk power transmission without intermediate taps.
– Interference with nearby communication lines is lesser in HVDC overhead line.
– Low Short circuit current: HVDC system does not contribute to the short circuit current of the
interconnected AC system.

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 Technical and economic comparison of AC and DC transmission
• Advantages of HVAC
– Control of system is cheap and simpler
– Substation cost is lower compared to DC
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• Disadvantages of HVAC
– Number of circuits required is high
– Line cost is high
– Ground return not possible
– High line Losses
– Skin effect is present
– Corona and radio interference is more
– Voltage regulation becomes difficult
– Series and Shunt compensation necessary
– Low stability of AC network due to line inductive reactance
– Power transferred limited by line inductance
– Intermediate substation is required
– High Short circuit current: In longer distance HVAC
transmission, short circuit current level in the receiving system
is high.
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 Physical structures of transmission lines
• Conductors and Ampacities - Electrical Loading
• Mechanical Loading – rain, ice, fog
• Supporting Structure- Towers
• Insulation
• Protection against lightning
• Shielding
• Grounding
• Sagging
• Clearances

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 Right‐of‐way and other design and construction problems, terrain
and weather implications

• Easy road accessibility

• Should be no tree zone
• No road crossings, cultivation/ vegetation, river
crossing, settlement, conserved area, highways…
• Favorable environment (humidity, fog, less
lightning, ice…)
• Must be the shortest possible path with no slopes
• The foundation must be geographically strong

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 Route selection for transmission lines
• Design Considerations:
– Select the shortest possible route, Follow the highways and roads as much as possible.
– Vegetation management. Can trees be cut, trimmed, or avoided.
– Avoid going over hills, ridges, swamps, and bottom lands.
– Avoid disrupting the environment
– Route in the direction of possible future loads.
– Impact of length, terrain, angles, obstacles, and special crossings on the cost and strength of the line.
– Ease and cost of maintenance, including maintenance of tree trimming.
– Impact of existing overhead and underground utilities paralleling or crossing the route. This refers to electric,
telecommunications, gas, oil, water, sewer system, drainage, and irrigation.
– Availability, restrictions, or limitations on the use of public rights of way.
– Impact of line on land use, environment, and on historical, archaeological, or biologically sensitive sites or
areas.

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