The Impact of Distributed Generation on

Transmission and Distribution Losses in Sri Lankan

Power System

Eng. A.A.C Priyangika Eng. W.D.A.S. Wijayapala

Planning and Development Branch, Distribution Division 2 Department of Electrical Engineering
Ceylon Electricity Board, Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa
Colombo 02, Sri Lanka Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
chathuripriyanhgika@gmail.com anura@elect.mrt.ac.lk

Eng. Dr.H.M. Wijekon Banda

Transmission Planning Branch
Ceylon Electricity Board,
Colombo 02, Sri Lanka

Abstract Share of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy reduction, avoided cost of energy production, additional
(NCRE), small hydro, wind, solar, bio-mass etc based electricity generation capacity, distribution and capacity investment
generation in Sri Lanka at present is 10% of the total annual deferral, green pricing benefits, etc. DG causes an impact on
generation. The Government of Sri Lanka has declared a losses in the power system due to its close proximity to the
national target of 20% from NCRE by 2020[1]. Most of NCRE load centers. The main difference is that DG units cause impact
power plants have been connected to the distribution network on both active and reactive power, while capacitor banks only
and are termed as Distributed Generators (DGs). With the have impact in the reactive power component.
increase of share of DGs, it affects system reliability, power
quality and economic operation of the distribution network. Due to the geo-climatic conditions, Sri Lanka is blessed
with several forms of energy sources such as hydro power,
This paper focuses on the impact of economic operation of solar, wind and biomass. These power generating projects are
transmission and distribution network due to distributed located and connected to the power system as distributed
generation in Sri Lankan power system. Network simulation generating units. The capacities of each DG technology
studies have been carried out for transmission network and for connected to the Sri Lankan power system are summarized as
four grid substations to which many DGs have been connected. shown in Table 1. [4], [5].
The analysis revealed that transmission network losses have
reduced with increase penetration of DGs to the system while TABLE I. SUMMARY OF DGS CONNECTED TO SRI LANKA POWER SYSTEM
distribution network losses are dependent on the amount of DG (AS AT JANUARY 2015)
capacities connected to the distribution network. However, there
is a reduction of network losses when overall network is Added capacity to
Technology No. of Plants
the System (MW)
considered thereby giving financial benefit from DGs added to
Small Hydro 142 293.27
the system.
Wind 15 123.85
Solar 4 1.38
KeywordsDistributed Generation; Transmission loss;
Biomass 6 23.50
Distribution loss; Non-conventional Renewable Energy
Total 167 442.00

I. INTRODUCTION The objective of this study is to estimate the impact of DG

on transmission and distribution losses in Sri Lankan power
Distributed Generation (DG) is the use of small generating system. In the study, transmission network and distribution
units installed in strategic points of the power system, and network are separately analyzed for determining losses.
especially close to load centers [2]. DG units provide many
benefits to the utility such as leveling the load curve, improving II. TRANSMISSION LOSS CALCULATION
the voltage profile, reducing the loading level of network
Sri Lankan transmission network in the year 2013 was used
branches and substation transformers and providing
for the analysis. PSSE software model of transmission network
environmental benefits by offsetting the pollutant emissions
has been used for studying different scenarios.
[3]. At the same time utility also get benefits like loss

978-1-5090-5395-7/16/$31.00 2016 IEEE

54
A. Calculation Scenarios TABLE III. ANNUAL TRANSMISSION ENERGY LOSS AND PERCENTAGE
LOSS
Two different scenarios, time basis and DG penetration
basis were used. Energy Loss
Annual
Percentage
Scenario Transmission
Time basis: The day is divided in to three time durations, from Annual
Energy Loss (MW)
Generation (%)
night peak, day peak and off peak based on the system demand.
Average demand during each time duration for a typical day of With Full DG (100%) 354.9 3.0
2013 is night peak, 2141 MW for 2 hours, day peak, 1854 MW With 40% Loaded DG 412.5 3.5
for 12 hours and off peak, 1049 MW for 10 hours.
Without DG (0%) 438.5 3.7
Penetration level of DGs: The penetration level of DGs can
be varied with time. Three levels have been selected for the
study as 100%, 40% and 0% loading of DGs. C. Comparison of Transmission Energy Loss Reduction
The transmission loss figures calculated by using PSSE Annual energy loss reduction of transmission network is
software for different scenarios are shown in Table II. summarized as in Table IV.

TABLE II. TRANSMISSION LOSS FIGURES CALCULATED USING PSSE TABLE IV. SUMMARY OF ENERGY LOSS REDUCTION IN TRANSMISSION
SOFTWARE NETWORK

System Transmission Loss (MW) Annual Energy

Daily Energy Loss
Scenario Scenario Loss Reduction
Night Peak Day Peak Off Peak Reduction (MWh)
(GWh)
With Full DG (100%) 70.9 43.5 16.0 With 40% Loaded DG 71.3 26.0
With 40% Loaded DG 82.4 44.8 16.1 With Full DG (100%) 229.0 83.6
Without DG (0%) 87.6 47.7 16.3

III. DISTRIBUTION LOSS CALCULATION

B. Transmission Energy Loss Calculation
The energy loss of transmission network can be estimated
from the Loss Load Factor (LLF) method as given below [6].
LLF = a x (Load Factor) + b x (Load Factor)2
Where a = 0.2 and b = 0.8 for the transmission network [6] and
Load Factor for transmission network at a selected day can be
calculated as.
= (2)
For a typical case such as:
Average load of the system = 1,561.3 MW
Peak load of the system = 2,141 MW
From (2), Load Factor of the system = 0.73
In Sri Lankan power system, DGs are connected to the
distribution network island wide, depending on the resource
location. The distribution system was modeled using
SynerGEE software. The loss calculation of distribution
(1) network was done for selected feeders considering the DG
capacity addition to the system and grid load.
To get an accurate output relevant to DGs, four grid
substations, connected with larger share of DGs were selected.
The four grid substations selected are Badulla, Rathnapura,
Kiribathkumbura and Ukuwela in the Sri Lankan power
system. Total capacity of DGs connected to these grid
substations was 79.3 MW which is around 27 percentage of the
total DGs in Sri Lankan network. Some details of these four
grid substations are shown in Table V.
TABLE V. SELECTED GRID SUBSTATIONS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION LOSS
CALCULATION

From (1), Loss Load Factor of the system = 0.57 Night Peak Load
Added Capacity
Grid Substation of DGs to the
Then, of the Grid (MW)
system (MW)
Energy Loss = Peak Power Loss x Time x LLF (3) Badulla 46.7 14.6

With full DG from Equation (3), Kiribathkumbura 71.0 16.7

Transmission energy loss = 972.3 MWh / day Rathnapura 22.7 38.0

Ukuwela 58.2 10.0

Annual transmission energy loss = 354.9 GWh
Further, this figure can be shown as a percentage value of
the total annual generation of the year.
Annual generation for year 2013 is 11,962 GWh [7]. And
therefore for the above case, % transmission loss is 3%.
Summary of annual transmission energy loss and a percentage
of the loss from the annual generation are shown as Table III.
Total 198.6 79.3
The calculation scenarios are the same as the scenarios used
in transmission loss calculation. However, to get a smooth
variation of loss figures, DGs have been loaded in 5% steps
from 0% to 100%. Distribution loss calculation was done by
using the individual grid substation.

55
A. Loss Calculation
1800
The calculated power loss figures using SynerGEE software at 1600
Ukuwela, Badulla, Kiribathkumbura and Rathnapura grid 1400
substations are graphically shown in Fig.1, Fig.2, Fig.3 and 1200

Loss (kW)
1000
Fig.4 respectively. 800
600
400
200
3,000
0
2,500
2,000
Loss (kW)

% of DG added to the system

1,500
1,000 Night Peak Day Peak Off Peak

500
- Fig.4.Power Loss Vs DG % added to the system in Rathnapura GS
90%
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

100%
It is noted that the same pattern of losses while increasing
% of DG added to the System
the DG% added to the System can be seen in Ukuwela, Badulla
Night Peak Day Peak Off Peak and Kiribathkumbura. The losses have gradually decreased and
then increased when the DG capacity is gradually added to the
Fig.1.Power Loss Vs DG % added to the system in Ukuwela GS system.
However, the distribution losses related to Rathnapura GS
show a totally different behavior from others. As shown in Fig.
3,500
4, when the DGs are gradually added to the system, the power
3,000 loss gradually increases with the added capacity of DGs. When
2,500 the DG capacity added to the system is higher than the peak
Loss (kW)

2,000 demand of the grid substation feeders, the balance or the excess
1,500
power generation should be transferred to the transmission
network. For that the flow from generation point should come
1,000
to the grid substation through a long distance. Thus, the loss is
500
higher than the other cases. However, for this case,
65%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%

70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%

transmission loss gets reduced.

% of DG added to the System
Night Peak Day Peak Off Peak
B. Distributon Energy Loss Calculation
The distribution energy loss calculation was carried out using
Fig.2.Power Loss Vs DG % added to the system in Badulla GS the empirical formula, known as Jungs formula as given
below.
The Utilization Time of Losses(UTL) is given by;
2,500
2,000 2 (2+ 2 )
= (1+2)
8760 hrs/year (4)
Loss (kW)

1,500
1,000
Where, e is the load factor of the system.
500
Load factor of Ukuwela, Badulla and Kiribathkumbura GSs is
-
0.555 [8] while it is 0.450 for Rathnapura GS [9].
15%
0%
5%
10%

20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
95%
100%

% of DG added to the system The energy loss = Peak Power Loss* UTL
Night Peak Day Peak Off Peak Using equation (4)
UTLUkuwela = UTLBadulla= UTLKiribathkumbura = 2,952 hrs / year
Fig.3.Power Loss Vs DG % added to the system in Kiribathkumbura GS

UTLRathnapura = 2,056 hrs / year

Calculated energy loss for the four grid substations at different

levels of DG penetration are summarized in Table VI.

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 TABLE VI. CALCULATED ANNUAL ENERGY LOSS OF SELECTED FOUR IV. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF LOSS REDUCTION
GRID SUBSTATIONS

DG
A. Cost Saving due to Transmission Loss Reduction
Annual Energy Loss (GWh)
% Kiribathku Cost saving can be calculated as a combination of Energy
Ukuwela Badula Rathnapura
mbura Cost saving and Capacity Cost saving. Marginal generation
00 7.861 10.031 6.055 0.944 cost is used for the calculation of Energy Cost saving. Marginal
05 7.649 9.688 5.922 0.859 generation cost is the unit generation cost of the next power
plant to be dispatched according to the merit order dispatch of
10 7.454 9.370 5.807 0.796 CEB.
15 7.277 9.077 5.683 0.755
Weighted average cost of the marginal generation costs has
20 7.117 8.812 5.576 0.732 been calculated for the costing of transmission energy loss
25 6.973 8.567 5.479 0.732 calculation as 23.0 LKR per kWh.
30 6.846 8.342 5.390 0.752 Energy Cost Saving = Energy Loss Reduction x Marginal
35 6.731 8.142 5.308 0.792 Generation Cost (5)
40 6.633 7.959 5.237 0.851 For the calculation of Capacity Cost saving, average capacity
45 6.548 7.796 5.172 0.929
charge of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for year 2013
was considered and the same was found to be 2.95 LKR per
50 6.477 7.655 5.116 1.028 kWh.
55 6.421 7.528 5.069 1.143
Capacity Cost Saving = Power Loss Reduction x Average
60 6.376 7.421 5.027 1.277 Capacity cost of IPP (6)
65 6.344 7.330 4.995 1.427 Using the Equations (5), (6) and Table IV, cost saving in
70 6.326 7.256 4.971 1.595 transmission network due to the presence of DGs are calculated
75 6.320 7.197 4.953 1.766 and summarized in TABLE VII.
80 \6.323 7.156 4.942 1.970 TABLE VII. COST SAVING IN TRANSMISSION NETWORK DUE TO DGS
85 6.338 7.126 4.939 2.192 Annual Energy Annual Capacity
90 6.365 7.111 4.945 2.430 Cost Saving due to Cost Saving due to
Scenario
DGs DGs
95 6.403 7.111 4.953 2.683 (Million LKR) (Million LKR)
100 6.453 7.126 4.974 2.952 With 40% DG 598.9 76.8

With 100% 1,923.5 246.6

The graphical view of the above annual loss figures are shown
as in Fig. 4.
B. Cost Saving due to Distribution Loss Reduction
The difference between Rathnapura and other three grid The cost saving values of the selected four grid substations are
substations is clearly visible from Fig.4. added and taken for the cost analysis. For the cost calculations
per unit values of energy charge and capacity charge were
taken from the Medium Voltage Distribution System
10 Development Plan 2013 2022, CEB Region 2 [8].
Annual Energy Loss (GWh)

8
Ce = Cost of Energy = 24.66 LKR/kWh
Cc = Capacity Cost = 18,679 LKR/kW/Year
6
Total cost of losses = Capacity Cost + Energy Cost
4
i.e.
2
Annual Cost of losses = Cc x Ploss-pk + Ce x Eloss (7)
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 According to Equation (7), the summary of cost saving in
% of DG added to the system distribution network due to DGs is shown in Table VIII.
Ukuwela Badula
Kiribathkumbura Rathnapura

Fig.4.Annual Energy Loss Vs DG % added to the system in Ukuwela,

Badulla, Kiribathkumbura and Rathnapura. Grid Substations

57
 TABLE VIII. COST SAVING IN DISTRIBUTION NETWORK DUE TO DGS TABLE IX. SUMMARY OF TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION LOSS
REDUCTION
Annual
Annual Annual Annual
Cost
DG Cost of Cost of Cost Saving Total
Saving in
% Energy Capacity in Capacity Loss
Energy Transmission Distribution
Loss (LKR Loss (LKR Cost (LKR Reduct
Cost (LKR Loss Reduction Loss Reduction
Million) Million) MIllion) ion per
MIllion) Scenario (LKR Million) (LKR Million)
year
00 613.81 160.09 0.00 00.0 (LKR
Million
05 594.75 154.98 19.06 5.11 Energ Capacit Energ Capacit )
y Cost y Cost y Cost y Cost
Loss Reduction
10 577.71 150.42 36.10 9.67 599 77 104 27 807
with 40% Loading
Loss Reduction
15 562.05 146.30 51.76 13.79 1,924 247 84 16 2,271
with full DG

20 548.36 142.73 65.45 17.36

V. CONCLUTION
25 536.38 139.65 77.43 20.44
Impact of network losses adding DGs to the distribution
30 526.00 137.06 87.81 23.03 network has been studied. Transmission and distribution
network simulation studies revealed that distribution network
35 517.19 134.88 96.62 25.21 losses increase after DG capacity penetration reached to a
certain value which depends on locations of DGs, grid
40 509.97 133.20 103.84 26.89 substation demand etc. Further, scenarios analyzed depicted
that there was Rs. 807 million saving with 40% DG loading
45 504.17 131.93 109.64 28.16
while there was Rs. 2,271 million saving with 100% DG
50 500.01 131.12 113.80 28.97 loading. However, a compromise on the DGs penetration level
has to be reached after analyzing other impacts like power
55 497.17 130.72 116.64 29.37 quality and system reliability.

60 495.69 130.72 118.12 29.37

REFERENCES
65 495.57 131.08 118.24 29.01

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80 502.84 134.45 110.97 25.64 Allocation and Sizing on Reliability, Losses and Voltage Profile", in
IEEE Power Tech Conference, Bologna, Italy, 2003.
85 507.87 136.35 105.94 23.74 [3] M.Begovic, A. Pregelj and A. Rohatgi, "Impact of Renewable
Distributed Generation on Power Systems", in 34th Hawaii
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[4] ]":: SRI LANKA SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AUTHORITY ::",
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http://www.energy.gov.lk/sub_pgs/energy_renewable.html. [Accessed:
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100 530.31 144.21 83.50 15.88
[5] ]"Do Business with Us | CEB", Ceb.lk, 2016. [Online]. Available:
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Cost saving of both transmission and distribution network due [6] Transmission Planning Division, Ceylon Electricity Board Sri Lanka,
"Long Term Transmission Development Plan - 2013 -2022", 2013.
to DGs added to the system can be summarized in Table IX.
[7] Ceylon Electricity Board, "Statistical Digest 2013", 2014.
[8] Distribution Region 2, Ceylon Electricity Board Sri Lanka, "Medium
Voltage Distribution System Development Plan - 2013 2022", 2013.
[9] Distribution Region 3, Ceylon Electricity Board Sri Lanka, "Medium
Voltage Distribution Development Plan - 2012 2021", 2012.

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