Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011. / Initiatives that are directed towards improving power management by a utility provider have to consider technical feasibility, socio-economic and the environment. Patterns of power consumption world over indicate that demand for electricity has over the years been on the rise due to increase in activities that demand usage of electricity. Such activities include construction and property development, development of industries and infrastructure. These activities have strained the power production, whose development does not match the increase in demand. ESKOM, a government authority mandated to generate, transmit and distribute power in South Africa has seen demand surpassing its generation capacity, hence resorting to load shedding actions. Load shedding imposes inconveniences to the consumers who are completely disconnected from the grid, translating to unpredictable periods of darkness. Utility providers have an option of constructing new peaker plants which lie idle most of the day, to take care of high demand during the peak periods, hence, avoid effecting load shedding actions. Various ways of managing load have been presented in this research. In particular, the research investigated possible ways utilities use in managing their capacity with an aim of developing an alternative method and tool for Demand Side Management applications that can be used by energy utility to improve reliability, manage and control consumption of electrical energy through selective shedding of the load connected to the consumer when the demand surpasses the utility's safe capacity.

Since the onset of the recession in the 1970's, consumers have frequently expressed frustration with what appear to be ever-increasing utility bills, blaming what they perceive as unnecessarily high rates on industry inefficiency. From the industry perspective, inefficiency is not only the problem which has developed since the recession. The more critical issue is the industry's transition from a noncompetitive environment to a competitive one. In the past, the electric utility industry did not have to compete because each utility operated in an exclusive service territory, and each was regulated by the government. However, currently the industry is experiencing increased competition, both indirect and direct. The indirect competition has taken the form of alternative energy sources such as natural gas and such new technology sources as solar, wind, co-generation power, etc. Electric utility companies have also experienced direct competition among themselves for industrial and commercial customers. The latter has resulted because the price of electricity significantly influences management decisions about where to locate their plants. Thus, efficient operation of electric generation is an extremely important task both for customers and industry. Productivity measures, then, are vital to the industry's economic well-being. This study used three different models to measure and compare the total factor productivity of 95 electric utility companies from 1974 to 1984: the translog econometric model, the superlative index model, and the Craig and Harris model. First, the translog econometric model was applied to Investigate characteristics of the production structure for the electric utility industry. Next, the total factor productivity was calculated using each of the three models. Finally, the superlative index model was applied for bilateral and multilateral comparisons to the following categories: industry as a whole, six regions, five types of generation, and four different output levels.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 96 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 93-96).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 33-35). Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

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published_or_final_version / Economics / Master / Master of Philosophy

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Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, March, 1989. / Title from PDF t.p.