IEEE 1885-2022

This guide provides practical methods for assessing, evaluating, and verifying the benefits and impact of electric power demand and energy consumption of VVO on electric power distribution systems.

The purpose of this guide is to provide some demonstrated practical methods to estimate and verify the potential energy savings and demand reduction that can be achieved with distribution system VVO methodologies. This guide presents methods for distribution system modeling/measurements, load modeling/measurements, and performing assessment studies and pilot projects to project and verify the potential or actual benefits.

New IEEE Standard - Active. Electric utilities are seeking to improve the overall efficiency and performance of the distribution system while helping to achieve energy and demand savings. Distribution volt-var optimization (VVO) can play a major role in accomplishing these objectives while maintaining safety, preserving assets, and meeting all operating constraints such as loading and voltage levels. Initial studies and experience show there is significant potential for energy savings, demand management and loss reduction through improved management of distribution voltage profiles and reactive power flow. Consistent methods are needed for verifying the benefits achieved by VVO systems that have already been implemented. Guidelines for modeling system loads as well as distributed resources and their response to voltage and var changes are needed along with methods for performing the evaluations to estimate total benefits. These benefits can then be evaluated as a function of the investment requirements for the improved VVO on a feeder by feeder or substation by substation basis and deployment priorities can be developed.