The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Palo Alto, Calif., announced plans on Nov. 4 for an industry-wide “transmission efficiency” demonstration collaborative that will identify technologies leading to greater efficiency in the bulk power system, an increase in system utilization and a reduction in line and equipment losses. The initiative’s goal is to improve efficiency and stem losses of electricity that would otherwise flow to the end user.
T&D losses account for about 300 billion kilowatt-hours in the United States, and reducing such losses will allow utilities to generate less power and thereby lower the industry’s carbon footprint. The collaborative is an outgrowth of efforts by EPRI, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), independent system operators and leading utilities.