TECHNICAL AND NON-TECHNICAL LOSSES

Technical and Non-Technical Losses
Two kinds of losses exists in an electric utility,
it is unavoidable to have people who takes advantage
of the vulnerability of the system.

Understanding system’s loss and how it occurs in every electric utility does not only necessarily mean that you will only be focusing on learning all the available electrical principles that pertains to computing for losses. Although it is a given fact that majority of losses happen because of the physical nature of all the components involve in the operation, there are still some other factors to be considered why losses exists.

A typical electric utility’s system’s loss can be classified in to Technical and Non-Technical types of losses. Technical Loss is the term use when referring to all the losses produced due to the physical nature of the electrical components. Transformer loss, Line loss, Regulator loss, Skin effect loss, etc. are some of the known technical losses that are included in the over-all system’s loss value. Technical loss, as the name describes talks about the science of the operation. Different types of explanation of the technical loss occurrence can be justified by the use of concepts, computations and electrical principles.

The other kind of power loss that contributes a lot to the level of energy waste produced is due to the Non-technical ones. Non-technical losses, unlike the technical ones, exist because of non-electrical reasons. The major non-technical loss known to electric utilities is through pilferage and meter reading error.

ILLEGAL TAPPING (PILFERAGE)

Pilferage is defined in distribution utility as unaccounted (unmetered) uses of electricity mostly are intentionally done. This is like stealing electricity from the utility through many different means. Another contributor to non-technical losses is by meter reading errors. Defective meters will either be beneficial to the utility or to the consumers that is why if it is beneficial to the consumers will mean losses to the utility and vice versa.

Dealing with non-technical losses may not be as easy as solving for the technical ones. Legal and judiciary sectors are always involved in settling pilferage and other matters relating to it. Nevertheless, they too are a factor that raises the level of system’s los in every utility.