ECONOMICS

OF
POWER
GENERATION
Important terms and definitions:
Connected load:
It is the combined continuous rating of all the
receiving apparatus on consumer’s premises.
If a consumer has connections for 3 lamps of 40
watts each, and power point of 500W for
refrigerator and TV consuming 60W, then the
total connected load of the consumer =
3x40+500+60 = 680W
Maximum Load /demand: It is the maximum
load which is used a consumer at any time. It can
be less than or equal to connected load.
Demand factor: It is the ratio of maximum load
to consumer load.
Average load= energy consumed in 24 hrs
 Load factor = average load / Peak load
 Plant Capacity factor (Plant load factor)
= actual energy produced in kWh
Rated capacity of the plant
= E/Cxt
= Peak load x load factor/plant capacity
= Use factor x load factor
Where, E = Energy produced in kWh
C = capacity of the plant in kW
t = Total number of hours in given period.
Utilization factor= Maximum load_____
rated capacity of the plant
Reserve factor = ___Load factor___
capacity factor
Diversity factor= sum of individual maximum demand
actual peak load of the system
Plant use factor = actual energy produced in given time period
maximum possible energy produced by the plant
Load curve
It is a graphical representation which show the
power demands for every instant during a certain
time period.
It is drawn between load in kW and time in hours.
If it is plotted for 1 hr, it is called hourly load curve
and if the time is considered of 24 hours, then it is
called daily load curve. When it is plotted for one
year then it is called annual load curve.
The area under the load curve represents the
energy generted in the period considered.
Load curve
Load duration curve
Types of loads
Residential load
Commercial load
Industrial load
Municipal load
Irrigation load
Traction load