Practical approach for capacity expansion of HV/MV substations in long range planning - The case of Beirut Central District

Abstract

The aim of this paper it to present a new practical approach for determining capacity expansion of High Voltage/Medium Voltage (HV/MV) substations deployed in distribution power systems of a district area that is undergoing a planning period spanning over 10 years. It estimates electrical loads over the spanning period based on actual full occupancy loads of installed Medium Voltage/Low Voltage (MV/LV) transformers. The aim was to estimate accurately the expansion capacity of the existing HV/MV substations. The approach was initiated by performing a detailed analysis to determine the standards followed by the power utility in supplying its existing customers in the district area with full occupancy installed MV/LV transformers which were based on the land use and built-up area. The calculated values were then utilized in estimating electrical loads of the overall district's planned buildings given the yearly expansion of the built-up area. Finally, sensitivity analysis has been applied to determine the best estimates of the calculated loads over the planning period which was used to accurately determine the expansion capacity of the existing HV/MV substations. The Beirut Central District, undergoing major expansion works for the period starting 2010 and ending in 2030, was taken as a case study. The outcome of this approach revealed that an expansion capacity for its HV/MV substation of only 105 MW was needed to meet the load demand by the end of the planning period i.e. by year 2030. © 2016, Regional Energy Resources Information Center (RERIC). All rights reserved.