VARIABLE LOADS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE
Average Load – is the ratio of the energy
Variable Load Terminology
 Load Curve – refers to the graph used to
represent the relationship between the
demanded load and time sequence. It is the
graphical representation of electrical
consumption for 24-hr period with amount of
electricity consumed in kW as ordinates and
hours of the day from 12MN to 12NN to 12 MN
as abscissas.
 Load Duration Curve - the graphical presentation
of the number of hours in year duration which
1000 kW, 2000 kW, 3000 kW and so on, is
demanded.
 System – a group of customers served by a certain
transformer, a group of transformers served by
the feeder, etc.
 Monthly Load Curve – is the average daily load
curves over a one-month that is used in
establishing rates.
 Annual Load Curve – is the average of the daily
load curves over a period of one year that is used
in determining the annual load factor.
 Load Duration Curve – is obtained from the same
data as the daily load curves for one year or a
period of 8760 hours.
 Base-load power plants – include steam,
hydroelectric and geothermal power plants.
 Peak-load power plants – include diesel-electric
and gas turbine power plants.
Capacity Factor=
Plant Use Factor=
Variable Load Factors
1. Reserve over peak or reserve capacity over and
above the peak load – is the plant capacity less
the peak load.
Reserved Over Peak Load = Plant Capacity – Peak Load
2.
produced (in kW-hr) to the number of hours.
Average Load=
Energy Produced, kW-hr
Number of Hours
3. Load Factor – is the ratio of the average load to
the peak load. The value to obtained is always less
than one.
Average Load
Load Factor=
Peak Load
4. Power Factor – is the ratio of the actual power to
the apparent power.
Average Load
Load Factor=
Peak Load
5. Demand Factor – is the ratio of the actual
maximum demand to the connected load. The
value to be obtained is always less than one.
Actual Maximum Demand
Demand Factor=
Connected Load
6. Diversity Factor – is the ratio of the sum of the
individual maximum demands to the maximum
simultaneous demand. The value to be obtained
is always greater than one.
Sum of Individual Demands
Diversity Factor=
Maximum Simultaneous Demand
7. Plant Capacity Factor – is the ratio of the annual
kW-hrs produce to the product of the kW plant
capacity and the operating hours.
Actual Energy Produced
Maximum Energy Produced on the Same Period
8. Plant Use Factor – is the ratio of the annual kW-
hrs produced to the product of the kW plant
capacity and the operating hours.
Annual Energy Produced, kW-hr
(Plant Capacity) (Number of Operating Hours)
9. Plant Factor – is the ratio of the average load to
the equipment rating supplying the load.
Average Load
Plant Factor=
Equipment Rating Supplying the Load
 Problems
1. A central station is supplying energy to a community
through two substations. One substation feeds four
distributing circuits; the other, six. The maximum daily
recorded demands are: Power Station – 12000 kW
Substation A 6000 kW Substation B 9000 kW
Feeder 1 1700 kW Feeder 1 620 kW
Feeder 2 1800 kW Feeder 2 1500 kW
Feeder 3 2800 kW Feeder 3 1000 kW
Feeder 4 600 kW Feeder 4 2900 kW
Feeder 5 2200 kW
Feeder 6 3000 kW

Calulate the diversity factor between a.)

10. Utilization Factor – is the ratio of the maximum
system demand to the rated system capacity.
Maximum System Demand
Utilization Factor=
System Rated Capacity
11. Operation Factor – is the ratio of duration of
actual service to the total expected duration.
Duration of Actual Service
Operation Factor=
Total Duration of the Considered Period
substations, b.) feeders on substation A, c.)
feeders on substation B.
2. The annual peak load on a 15000 kW power plant
is 10500 kW. Two substations are supplied by this
plant. Annual energy dispatch through substation
A is 27500000 kW-hrs with a peak load of 8900
kW, while 16500000 kW-hr are sent through B
with a peak at 6650 kW. Neglect line losses. Find
a.) the diversity factor between substations, and
b.) the capacity factor of the power plant.

12. Annual Capacity Factor – is the ratio of the annual

kW-hr produced to the plant capacity, in kW,
times 8760 hours.

Annual Energy Produced, kW-hrs

Annual Capacity Factor=
(Plant Capacity, in kW)(8760 hrs)