An interrelation with power supply reliability, AT&C losses and energy efficiency
 In today’s scenario, the key strategies for power distribution system reforms are ensuring reliability of supply, reducing AT&C losses, promoting sustainable energy usage and thereby leading to improving viability of distribution utilities. While distribution utility professionals focus on implementing the aforementioned strategies, however at times, the importance of power quality and its interrelationships with these ultimate objectives is not given due consideration. This article focuses on helping Indian utility professionals demystify the facts of PQ and considering PQ, since it is critical to achieve the desired results for distribution utilities.This also highlights the importance of considering PQ while designing and planning network improvements and expansions for power transmission and distribution utilities. With the increasing pace of modernisation, the existing electrical systems are unable to cater to the current demand of power quality. PQ escalations on the T&D systems are often complex, widespread and expensive to mitigate, hence utilities need to take PQ into serious consideration while planning network interventions.
The Indian electricity network is undergoing considerable change that is brought about by new technological advancement and the desire to make it smarter and more efficient. In today’s scenario, the key strategies for power distribution system reforms are ensuring reliability of supply, reducing AT&C losses and thereby leading to improving energy efficiency.
Reliability of supplyA major concern for Indian electrical distribution utility is maintaining “reliable power supply”. Reliability of supply implies that power is made available to the customer in right manner and without unplanned outage or interruptions disturbing normal life. Reliability and quality of supply were rarely considered as issues in the past and hence a little or no attention were paid towards it. However, modern economies are highly dependent on reliable and secure electricity services. In recent times the end customer has become more demanding and conscious about interruption free supply. Shortage of reliable supply impacts their normal life, thereby impacting economic and social growth.
Loss reductionPower distribution utilities in India are facing critical challenge of loss reduction so as to improve their financial performance and operate viably. Public distribution companies are facing huge burden of losses (` 2.4 lakh crore) and high average AT&C losses (28 per cent). Among this, the standard technical loss component is around 17 per cent in India, while remaining constitutes un-metered supply, pilferage and so forth.  Loss reduction is core to the utilities and being driven by targets set by regulation. Distribution companies are exploring and investing in all areas, including network improvement, IT and business process improvement to meet their loss reduction targets.
Energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency emerged as a key policy priority in India’s energy sector since the enactment of Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The government estimates that the energy efficiency market in India has an investment potential of $10 billion and that improving energy efficiency could save up to 184 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of generated electricity.
Distribution transformer is one of the key equipment of power distribution network. Efficiency of the distribution transformers in various Indian power distribution utilities is very poor. Poor efficiency increases losses and reduces the quality and reliability of power supplied. Various state regulatory bodies have given directives to improve the efficiency of the DTs to improve the overall efficiency of power distribution network. Implementing or adopting energy efficiency measures decreases the overall energy demand and also peak demand, leading to higher reliability of supply. However, many devices that improve power reliability and quality, such as an inverter, a storage device, an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), or a dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) have possible negative impact on energy efficiency. Poor EE also affects the environment and the profitability of the utility consequently Indian economy.

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An interrelation with power supply reliability, AT&C losses and energy efficiency
 In today’s scenario, the key strategies for power distribution system reforms are ensuring reliability of supply, reducing AT&C losses, promoting sustainable energy usage and thereby leading to improving viability of distribution utilities. While distribution utility professionals focus on implementing the aforementioned strategies, however at times, the importance of power quality and its interrelationships with these ultimate objectives is not given due consideration. This article focuses on helping Indian utility professionals demystify the facts of PQ and considering PQ, since it is critical to achieve the desired results for distribution utilities.This also highlights the importance of considering PQ while designing and planning network improvements and expansions for power transmission and distribution utilities. With the increasing pace of modernisation, the existing electrical systems are unable to cater to the current demand of power quality. PQ escalations on the T&D systems are often complex, widespread and expensive to mitigate, hence utilities need to take PQ into serious consideration while planning network interventions.
The Indian electricity network is undergoing considerable change that is brought about by new technological advancement and the desire to make it smarter and more efficient. In today’s scenario, the key strategies for power distribution system reforms are ensuring reliability of supply, reducing AT&C losses and thereby leading to improving energy efficiency.
Reliability of supplyA major concern for Indian electrical distribution utility is maintaining “reliable power supply”. Reliability of supply implies that power is made available to the customer in right manner and without unplanned outage or interruptions disturbing normal life. Reliability and quality of supply were rarely considered as issues in the past and hence a little or no attention were paid towards it. However, modern economies are highly dependent on reliable and secure electricity services. In recent times the end customer has become more demanding and conscious about interruption free supply. Shortage of reliable supply impacts their normal life, thereby impacting economic and social growth.
Loss reductionPower distribution utilities in India are facing critical challenge of loss reduction so as to improve their financial performance and operate viably. Public distribution companies are facing huge burden of losses (` 2.4 lakh crore) and high average AT&C losses (28 per cent). Among this, the standard technical loss component is around 17 per cent in India, while remaining constitutes un-metered supply, pilferage and so forth.  Loss reduction is core to the utilities and being driven by targets set by regulation. Distribution companies are exploring and investing in all areas, including network improvement, IT and business process improvement to meet their loss reduction targets.
Energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency emerged as a key policy priority in India’s energy sector since the enactment of Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The government estimates that the energy efficiency market in India has an investment potential of $10 billion and that improving energy efficiency could save up to 184 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of generated electricity.
Distribution transformer is one of the key equipment of power distribution network. Efficiency of the distribution transformers in various Indian power distribution utilities is very poor. Poor efficiency increases losses and reduces the quality and reliability of power supplied. Various state regulatory bodies have given directives to improve the efficiency of the DTs to improve the overall efficiency of power distribution network. Implementing or adopting energy efficiency measures decreases the overall energy demand and also peak demand, leading to higher reliability of supply. However, many devices that improve power reliability and quality, such as an inverter, a storage device, an uninterruptable power supply (UPS), or a dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) have possible negative impact on energy efficiency. Poor EE also affects the environment and the profitability of the utility consequently Indian economy.

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