Assessing the adequacy of medium voltage infrastructure (33kv) supplying Kampala central business district

Abstract

This project mainly focuses on the assessment of the medium voltage infrastructure of the 33kV network basing on the Kampala UMEME network. The basis of the analysis is attributed to the fact that there is a high economic growth rate in Kampala central business district characterized by increase in economic activities, industrial growth and increase in residential power needs. This increase in load capacity over the years leads to overloading of the medium voltage infrastructure. Over loading is a disastrous effect as it leads to equipment failure such as breakdown of the medium voltage transformers and power outages. The methodology entailed modelling the Kampala network 33Kv using Digsilent power factory with the main assumptions being lumping the 11kV side of the network, using a power factor of 0.95 for the loads and transformers at each substation are coupled software in order to assess the network, bench marking the network to ensure accuracy of the modelled network, performing a load forecast over a period of three and five years and a load flow analysis was performed on the forecasted network and determining critically strained as well as requirements for adequacy over the load forecast period. The results obtained from the methodology were then analyzed, from our analysis we were able to conclude that the network will be heavily loaded over the forecast period and we were able to determine the critically strained network assets that included substations, bus bars and feeders. We determined the requirements for network adequacy over the load forecast period and performed a cost benefit analysis for the requirements that had several options to determine the optimal solution. The above analysis and respective results depict that the current medium voltage infrastructure supplying Kampala central business district is unable to handle the increasing load capacity of the rapidly growing economy. It is thus necessary to upgrade the existing network in order to match the continually growing load demand to aid proper planning.