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SIMPLIFIED VOLTAGE OPTIMIZATIONM&V PROTOCOLS

Regional Technical ForumAugust 4, 2009

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NEEA Distribution Efficiency Initiative Overview

• Phase 1 – Development (2003-2007): Confirmation and Validation of Costs, Benefits, and Implementation Options and Tools.

• Phase 2 – Implementation: Applies Communication / Marketing, Regional Policy Implementation and Utility Decision Making Tools.

• Phase 3 – Transition: Integration of Project Actions to Market Transformation.

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NEEA DEI Participating UtilitiesUtility DEI Participation

Avista Corp Pilot Demonstration

Clark Public Utilities Pilot Demonstration

Douglas PUD Load Research, Pilot Demonstration

Eugene Water & Electric Board Load Research

Franklin PUD Load Research

Hood River Load Research

Idaho Falls Power Load Research

Idaho Power Load Research, Pilot Demonstration

PacifiCorp Load Research

Portland General Electric Load Research

Puget Sound Energy Load Research, Pilot Demonstration

Skamania PUD Load Research

Snohomish PUD Load Research, Pilot Demonstration

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Summary NEEA Load Research Project

• Strata established for homes with different mixes of end-uses; i.e. electric heat, gas heat, air conditioning…

• Monitor Residential Homes

– Qualify home for voltage regulator installation

– In-home assessments

– Voltage Control (115.5V) for a day then utility voltage for a day

• 413 homes, 395 homes included in analysis

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Summary NEEA Pilot Demonstration Project

• Controlled voltage at substation (day ON day OFF)– Used Line Drop Compensation– Used End of Line voltage feedback loop

• 6 Utilities, 10 Substations, 31 feeders• Performed system improvements

– Installed feeder meters– Phase balancing– Voltage regulators– Capacitors

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NEEA DEI Project Savings

• Project Savings 8,563 MWhr (1.88 aMW annually)• 345 kWh per residential home (Load Research

project)• Cost of less than 5 Mills ($0.001/kWhr)

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Customer Satisfaction - PSE

“ There were no statistically significant differences in the customer average ratings between the control group and either test group for overall electric service quality, power reliability and power quality.”

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Potential Savings & Investment

Type of Improvement & Cost / SubstationEnergy Savings

kW Demand

Reduction

kvar Demand

Reduction

Cost in Mils ($0.001/kWh)

Voltage Regulation LDC$15 - $25k

0.5% - 1% 1% - 2% 3% - 5% 0.1 - 2

Voltage Regulation LDC w/ Minor System improvements$40 - $60k

1% - 2% 2% - 2.5% 3% - 7% 2 - 8

Voltage Regulation LDC w/ Major System Improvements$80 - $100k

1.5% - 2.5%

2.5% - 3% 5% - 10% 10 - 15

Voltage Regulation EOL w/ Major System Improvements$100 - $350k

2% - 3% 3% - 3.5% 10% - 20% 20 - 50

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DEI Guidebook & Software• Guide Book

– Helps utilities establish guidelines for planning, designing, and operating distribution systems

– Provides utilities with an overview of the processes and procedures

– Provides documentation of the Distribution Efficiency Calculator

• Software Tools– Distribution Efficiency Calculator– Excel based application– Managers Tool provides high level results– Engineers Tool allows user to develop multiple scenarios and

compare results

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Results of NEEA DEI Study Regional Project Highlights

• Distribution efficiency methods are achievable at a cost of 2 to 15 Mills per kWh that can produce regional savings of 100 to 150 aMW

• Distribution efficiency improvement at a cost of 25 to 50 Mills per kWh can achieve regional savings of 200 to 270 aMW

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MEASUREMENT & VERIFICATION PLAN

FOR

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM VOLTAGE OPTIMIZATION

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Simplified Voltage Optimization (VO) M&V Plan Goals

• Simplify the process to measure and verify energy savings obtained from optimizing voltage using the following methods:

• Voltage Fixed Reduction (VFR)• Line Drop Compensation (LDC)• Automated Voltage Feedback Control (AVFC)

• Standardize the assumptions used to calculate the CVR Factor

• Modify the early DE Calculator to adopt the simplified processes and standardized assumptions to ensure energy savings calculations are credible

• Develop data collection templates to increase efficiency and promote consistency throughout the region

• Plan & calculations comply with Federal Energy Management Program M&V Guidelines v3.0

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Simplified Voltage OptimizationM&V Protocols

• Voltage Fixed Reduction (VFR)

• Line Drop Compensation (LDC)

• Automated Voltage Feedback Control (AVFC)

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Simplified Voltage OptimizationImplementation Prerequisites

•Deploying VO without ensuring the targeted substation or feeders are robust creates low-voltage risks to a utility. To ensure a successful deployment of VO, pre-requisites that indicate a healthy system must be considered. Prerequisites may require a need for one or more of the following:

• Balance Feeder Phase Loading• Reconfigure Feeder Topology• Add Capacitors (fixed and switched)• Add Feeder Phases• Replace Distribution Transformers• Upsize Feeder Conductors• Add Feeder Line Regulators

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Simplified Voltage Optimization Process

• Baseline Measurements

– Collect and/or determine required system data

– Measure and Verify system prerequisites

– Perform power flow simulations and ΔV calculations

• Calculate baseline average voltages V*Baseline

• Select VO method(s) to be used

– Voltage Fixed Reduction

– Line Drop Compensation

– Automated Voltage Feedback Control

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Simplified Voltage Optimization Process (Cont)• Design improvements to reduce voltage drop

– Add phases– Add, replace, or relocate shunt capacitors– Reconductor feeder conductors– Add Line Voltage Regulators– Add or Replace Distribution Transformers– Reconductor or replace secondary conductors

• Calculate Regulator and Capacitor control settings• Calculate CVR Factor and new average voltages V*New

• Compare V* and Estimate ΔE energy savings

• Install VO improvements

• Post-installation Measurements

• Calculate V*Post and adjust ΔE estimates

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International Performance M&V Protocol

• Option D– Calibrated simulation - Distribution Efficiency Calculator– DE Calculator provides estimate of savings for a

substation attributable to each ECM within a multiple-ECM project

– Baseline data may not be available– Reporting period difficult to quantify. Changes to

substation operation make it too difficult to predict energy use

– Primary M&V approach for assessing EE inclusions in new substation designs

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Energy Efficiency/Distribution/TransmissionTechnical Work Group

• Bring attention to the personal knowledge and depth of experience found throughout utilities in the PNW

• Highlight the hidden talent and successes within the region

• A venue for utilities to learn from and share technical distribution-level efficiency knowledge, experience and ideas with peers in a united and positive environment

• There is a critical need to explore what works... and what doesn’t

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Voltage Optimization M&V Development Tasks

• Dev draft voltage optimization M&V protocols (complete)

• Review draft protocols with BPA staff (complete)

• Evaluate and testing of draft protocol methods

• Review testing results w/ BPA & Technical Workgroup

• RTF presentation - TBD

• Draft application forms & finalize work

• Update protocol documentation & methods

• Second RTF presentation - if required

• Complete protocol package & update Distribution Guidebook

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Project Team

• Utility Planning Solutions - Robert Fletcher

• RW Beck - KC Fagen

• RMH Consulting - Bob Helm

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Simplified Voltage OptimizationM&V Plan

Questions?