TITLE:
Managing System Losses to Improve Energy Efficiency within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Limited
AUTHORS:
Vincent Kwame Osei-Appiah, Jones Lewis Arthur
KEYWORDS:
Network Management, System Losses, Electricity, Cost Efficiency, Energy Management
JOURNAL NAME:
Smart Grid and Renewable Energy,
Vol.13 No.6,
June
14,
2022
ABSTRACT: The inability to achieve the target of universal access to electricity is
influenced by several factors including funding limitations, the use of
obsolete equipment, power theft, and
system losses confronting the electricity distribution services of the
Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG). The study assessed the components
of system losses within the ECG by determining and computing the percentage of
system losses within ECG, examining the causes of both commercial and technical
losses in ECG, and determining ways to improve energy efficiency by reducing system
losses in the most cost-efficient manner. The study adopted deductive reasoning
and a quantitative approach to guide data collection and analysis of the
research output. A sample of 345 technical and non-technical staff of ECG in the
Greater Accra Metropolis was selected from a population of 2500. Purposive,
simple random, and cluster sampling techniques were used in identifying and accessing
respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics were applied to measure
central tendency and degrees of dispersion and the Relative Importance Index
(RII) to predict criterion and predictor variables. The impact of low voltage network losses can adversely contribute to
technical losses (20%) and reduce energy efficiency in power or electricity distribution
companies. Non-technical losses are mainly caused by illegal
connections, meter problems, and billing problems. Each of the non-technical losses contributes a
maximum of 10% to system losses. Contributors to system losses at ECG are
ranked first for power theft and least for lack of incentives. System losses at
ECG include metering inaccuracies, bad workmanship, unmetered supply, and
lengthy distribution lines, each recording a mean value of above 3.5. Measures
to improve monitoring of the networks and
systems at ECG and discourage power theft should include an extensive
quantification, patrolling, and inspection of the entire network to assess the extent of the network
and conditions relevant for the placement of systematically planned maintenance
programmes.