| dc.description.abstract | Power outages have created significant challenges for power system
networks, particularly in developing countries where the electricity demand
continues to rise without a corresponding increase in power generation or the
expansion of transmission and distribution networks. In Kenya, while there is
a well-established transmission line network, the distribution infrastructure
remains inadequate for supplying electricity to end consumers. This paper
examines the economic load dispatch (ELD) of power system networks utilizing
Service Potential Transformer (SPT) substations to provide electricity to
villages located near high voltage (HV) lines. The ELD analysis was conducted
to identify the optimal economic power output from the Kipevu, Rabai, and
Thika thermal power plants, addressing the demand for both conventional and
non-conventional substations. A gradient method was employed to calculate
the ELD for these three generating units, and the results were validated using
the PowerWorld simulator. Findings indicated that the three generators
supplied 20 MW, 37.5 MW, and 12.5 MW, respectively. The results obtained
from the gradient method are consistent with those obtained from
PowerWorld software. Additionally, this study projected an annual fuel cost
savings of USD 17,695.20 when ELD was implemented, compared to a scenario
of equal load distribution among generating units. Over a ten-year period,
these savings would be sufficient to establish a conventional distribution
substation to meet the power demands of villages located further away from
high voltage lines. | en_US |
