Analysis of the electrical power distribution system in Tarhuna City (Libya) to avoid future loads using NEPLAN software

Abstract

The electrical distribution systems in Tarhuna city suffer from several problems, including the drop in voltage and overloading as a result of the increasing demand for electrical energy at the present time, due to the urban boom and the expansion of the residential area in the city, and because of the presence of one 30/11 kV station on which the city depends entirely to provide electrical energy. This study aimed at analyzing and planning for the short term (four years) from 2017 to 2021 for the electrical power distribution network for the central area of Tarhuna city in order to face the challenges of demand for electrical capacity and future loads and its proposed expansion using the NEPLAN program, and the results of this study showed the following: For the year of 2017, the total load amounted to (4.913 MVA), the presence of an overload on some network elements more than the permissible limit, which is a transformer (Alkudrawat, Alaswaq), whereas the year 2021, the amount of the total load reached to (6.684 MVA), the presence of many network problems from overloading some elements and loading more than the permissible limit, which is the adapter (Alohum, Alaswaq, Alkudrawat, Albaldia), this study is proposed to solve these problems by replacing the old transformers that appeared with problems with other transformers with greater capacities .However the results showed that there is no overloading on the network elements .It also showed the absence of transformers loading more than the permissible limit, as there is no an unacceptable drop in voltage at the nodes, and a clear improvement was observed in the performance of the network in terms of load and lost capacities in some transformers as well as in the voltage values and angles at the nodes compared to the previous case. This study recommends periodical studies in order to develop electrical load plans and their development with the determination of the requirements and needs of the current electrical network, and to conduct research for long-term planning (from 10 years and above).