A Load Management Feasibility Study for South Carolina Electric&Gas Co.

Abstract

This paper describes the methods used and results obtained in a study of the feasibility of residential load control. The study was conducted by Systems Control, Inc., and South Carolina Electric and Gas Company. It examined the costs and capabilities of the available load control equipment and compared those costs to the expected benefits of implementing load control. Three load control strategies were identified as the most economically viable based upon a screening analysis. These three strategies were subjected to a detailed multi-year simulation procedure using computer programs to (1) model appliance loads, (2) determine viable controlled appliance dispatch strategies, (3) calculate production costs and reliability, and (4) determine the resulting effects of load control on corporate finances. The study found that load control is not expected to be cost-effective on the SCE&G system because of SCE&G's broad summer peak, its use of the Fairfield pumped hydro facility, the lack of peaking units in its present generation expansion plans, and limited amount of oil-fired generation now being used.