Highlighting role of power cables in reducing AT&C losses
  AT&C losses comprise of two elements that is technical losses and commercial losses. Technical losses are due to flow of power in transmission and distribution network. “Power cables play a vital role in combating technical losses such as poor quality or inadequate selection of cable size in particular cable network may give rise to  technical losses in form of higher  I 2  R losses. Commercial losses are due to theft of electricity, deficiency in metering or misuse of electricity. Power cables play an important role in reducing commercial losses. By using aerial bunched power cable in L.V. distribution network, the theft of electricity by using hooks/tapping in over head transmission line is not possible,” informs Sanjeev Vyas, GM Technical, Havells India Ltd while briefing about the role of power cable in reducing AT&C losses.
Power generation, transmission and distribution are the three activities in power industry. Energy is consumed and loss is incurred in every step of these activities. Among the three activities, a loss in power distribution is the maximum as it has grown up in an unplanned manner. Manish Goel, Managing Director, Shilpi Cable Technologies Ltd shares his views on how it is possible to reduce AT&C losses. He says, “Distribution loss consists of two parts that is technical loss and commercial loss. Technical loss depends upon losses incurred from machinery (transformers), lines and improper maintenance of plant and machinery etc. However, under commercial loss, theft is one of the main causes of the high losses. Theft occurs in several ways like namely by tapping transmission lines and tampering by passing meter. The scope of AT&C loses in a developing country like India is very high; however putting corrective measures in place will to curb it.”He adds, “The AT&C loss in the Indian power sector is very high – ranging from 11 to 71 per cent across states. However, the usage of good quality distribution wires can lead to reduction in such losses thereby supporting the nation’s economic growth and reducing environmental damage.”
Offering products To reduce the AT&C losses experts brief on the products and offering. While informing about the product offerings Vyas says, “Today, many advancements are done in power cable design to reduce AT&C losses. Most compacted conductor design by using nano dies in power cable and use of Mileken/segmental conductor is certainly a better option to reduce technical losses. These cables are having reduced A.C resistance as compared to normal conductor.”
“AT&C losses are incurred due to high energy losses due to various reasons like inherent resistance and type of conductor used. So to minimise these AT&C losses in SCTL we use flexible conductor size with high grade of purity with resistance value in permissible limits,” informs Goel.
On sharing his views on how green extremely low magnetic field cables help reduce AT&C losses Rupin Surana, Director – Operations, Paras Wires says, “Paras pioneers in development of green Extremely Low Magnetic Field (ELMF) cables which incorporates an innovative design concept. This results in lower power loss in power cables regardless of the material chosen.”Briefly detailed below are the key technical parameters, their improved values in ELMF cables and effect on power loss savings:
Inductance vs cross section; reduction in power lossThe chart describes the ratio (in percent) of the Inductance value between ELMF configurations to a regular cable. It can be seen that it varies from 47 to 49 per cent when cross section goes from 50 to 300. In other words the inductance reduction can be considered at about 50 per cent for all cross sections. This chart was based on calculations and lab test result confirms it. For relevant frequency (power: 50 -400 Hz), the impedance is mostly influenced by the inductance (rather than the capacitance). As a result it lowers the voltage drop on the line and reduces the losses. So, bottom line, the cross section has no major effect on the Inductance in these frequencies.  Attenuation factorCalculated Attenuation Factor (AF) of magnetic field radiation of green ELMF cables in comparison to standard reference cables of the same category. In Three phase cables, the AF is calculated assuming balanced load. In unbalanced conditions the AF is reduced by 10 per cent on average.
Magnetic field valuesCalculated values of Magnetic Field [mG] near green ELMF cables as a function of the distance from the cable.
“The test results also show that power loss savings due to the inductance reduction, attenuation factor and magnetic field values in power cables is close to theoretical values. As a means to reduce technical loss component in AT&C losses, ELMF technology can play a major role,”adds Surana.

Highlighting role of power cables in reducing AT&C losses
  AT&C losses comprise of two elements that is technical losses and commercial losses. Technical losses are due to flow of power in transmission and distribution network. “Power cables play a vital role in combating technical losses such as poor quality or inadequate selection of cable size in particular cable network may give rise to  technical losses in form of higher  I 2  R losses. Commercial losses are due to theft of electricity, deficiency in metering or misuse of electricity. Power cables play an important role in reducing commercial losses. By using aerial bunched power cable in L.V. distribution network, the theft of electricity by using hooks/tapping in over head transmission line is not possible,” informs Sanjeev Vyas, GM Technical, Havells India Ltd while briefing about the role of power cable in reducing AT&C losses.
Power generation, transmission and distribution are the three activities in power industry. Energy is consumed and loss is incurred in every step of these activities. Among the three activities, a loss in power distribution is the maximum as it has grown up in an unplanned manner. Manish Goel, Managing Director, Shilpi Cable Technologies Ltd shares his views on how it is possible to reduce AT&C losses. He says, “Distribution loss consists of two parts that is technical loss and commercial loss. Technical loss depends upon losses incurred from machinery (transformers), lines and improper maintenance of plant and machinery etc. However, under commercial loss, theft is one of the main causes of the high losses. Theft occurs in several ways like namely by tapping transmission lines and tampering by passing meter. The scope of AT&C loses in a developing country like India is very high; however putting corrective measures in place will to curb it.”He adds, “The AT&C loss in the Indian power sector is very high – ranging from 11 to 71 per cent across states. However, the usage of good quality distribution wires can lead to reduction in such losses thereby supporting the nation’s economic growth and reducing environmental damage.”
Offering products To reduce the AT&C losses experts brief on the products and offering. While informing about the product offerings Vyas says, “Today, many advancements are done in power cable design to reduce AT&C losses. Most compacted conductor design by using nano dies in power cable and use of Mileken/segmental conductor is certainly a better option to reduce technical losses. These cables are having reduced A.C resistance as compared to normal conductor.”
“AT&C losses are incurred due to high energy losses due to various reasons like inherent resistance and type of conductor used. So to minimise these AT&C losses in SCTL we use flexible conductor size with high grade of purity with resistance value in permissible limits,” informs Goel.
On sharing his views on how green extremely low magnetic field cables help reduce AT&C losses Rupin Surana, Director – Operations, Paras Wires says, “Paras pioneers in development of green Extremely Low Magnetic Field (ELMF) cables which incorporates an innovative design concept. This results in lower power loss in power cables regardless of the material chosen.”Briefly detailed below are the key technical parameters, their improved values in ELMF cables and effect on power loss savings:
Inductance vs cross section; reduction in power lossThe chart describes the ratio (in percent) of the Inductance value between ELMF configurations to a regular cable. It can be seen that it varies from 47 to 49 per cent when cross section goes from 50 to 300. In other words the inductance reduction can be considered at about 50 per cent for all cross sections. This chart was based on calculations and lab test result confirms it. For relevant frequency (power: 50 -400 Hz), the impedance is mostly influenced by the inductance (rather than the capacitance). As a result it lowers the voltage drop on the line and reduces the losses. So, bottom line, the cross section has no major effect on the Inductance in these frequencies.  Attenuation factorCalculated Attenuation Factor (AF) of magnetic field radiation of green ELMF cables in comparison to standard reference cables of the same category. In Three phase cables, the AF is calculated assuming balanced load. In unbalanced conditions the AF is reduced by 10 per cent on average.
Magnetic field valuesCalculated values of Magnetic Field [mG] near green ELMF cables as a function of the distance from the cable.
“The test results also show that power loss savings due to the inductance reduction, attenuation factor and magnetic field values in power cables is close to theoretical values. As a means to reduce technical loss component in AT&C losses, ELMF technology can play a major role,”adds Surana.