This thesis examines the current situation on the electricity market in the Czech Republic. A particular emphasis is put on the regulation of distribution system operators (DSOs). The Czech regulator applies only general efficiency factors for all incumbents, and the efficiency of the incumbents is not taken into account in the regulatory formula. In many countries, the regulators apply benchmarking methods to assess the efficiency of operators. This thesis analyses the current regulatory formula in international comparison and considers the application of benchmarking methods to the regulation of DSOs. The first part provides a description of the theoretical approach to the regulation of network industries, relevant legal norms, the current situation on the Czech electricity market and practices of the regulatory bodies in selected European states. The second, empirical, part presents an international benchmarking study based on data of 15 regional DSOs including two Czech operators. The study examines the application of yardstick methods using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Based on our results, we find that the cost efficiency of each of the Czech DSOs is different. This suggests that introducing individual efficiency factors in the fourth regulatory...

The advent of cheaper, more powerful substation relays, now commonly known as Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), will have a substantial impact on Powerco information systems. Their impact is two-fold; the sheer volume of information associated with modern relays will require a more capable relay management system than the one currently being used. The second effect is the amount of data that can be gathered and used for network improvement. Improper management of both types of information will lead to worse outcomes for Powerco reliability performance, and ultimately its financial performance. This report details two projects concerned with the management of IED information.The first project is concerned with a proposed upgrade of the Powerco relay management system. This involved requirements engineering, investigation of database systems and a commercial tendering process. It was found that the data schema had a large effect on efficiency and efficacy of relay management systems. The optimal solution would be to procure a proven relay management system from an established vendor, given resource constraints and proven-for-purpose data schema. The second project is focused on the deployment of automated event report collection software. The impetus of this project was the inefficiencies that arise from manual collection and processing of network event data from substation relays. These hamper the network improvement process, negatively affecting Powerco network reliability. A Cost-Benefit Analysis was performed to determine if such functionality was worth deploying across the network. It was found that automated event report collection produced operational savings from reduced technician dispatch frequency. Other benefits include greater data captured, faster fault response time, and a transformation of the existing reactive network improvement engineering process to one that is proactive. This will require additional engineering resources to be dedicated to event analysis. A deployment schedule was formulated based on historical reliability and agreed service levels. The larger implications of this report are that additional resourcing, and careful consideration of the information management processes are required to take advantage of the greater volume of data generated by IEDs.

Baseado nas melhores práticas internacionais, este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de melhoria do arcabouço regulatório baseados em quatro instrumentos regulatórios: indicadores, limites, compensações e incentivos/penalidades, com o objetivo de incentivar a melhoria da qualidade do serviço nos aspectos técnicos, comerciais, coletivos e individuais. Em relação aos indicadores, a proposta está focada no acompanhamento da duração e a frequência das interrupções por meio de indicadores acumulados em períodos de apuração mensais e anuais. Desta forma, é desconsiderado o acompanhamento da máxima interrupção no período mensal, a fim de garantir que as concessionárias de energia que estão em melhor estágio de qualidade não sejam excessivamente penalizadas pelos limites estabelecidos para uma única interrupção. Na política de compensações, a proposta consiste em trazer um maior equilíbrio entre os montantes pagos pelas concessionárias e o verdadeiro ressarcimento dos clientes com má qualidade do serviço. Para isto, são fixados limites individuais únicos para cada empresa, segregados em níveis de tensão e localização, utilizando o percentil 97% dos histogramas de frequência acumulada dos indicadores individuais realizados nos três anos anteriores ao ano da revisão tarifária periódica (limites mais flexíveis). No entanto, a fórmula de compensações foi modificada de tal forma que estes limites, quando violados, gerem compensações para o tempo total de desligamento, e não somente para o período acima do limite (metodologia ANEEL). Para os clientes, o resultado é o expressivo aumento de compensações, condizentes com os valores pagos pelo serviço. Para as empresas, abre-se a possibilidade de ter uma maior gestão dos tempos de reparo, tanto de atendimento emergencial quanto dos desligamentos programados. Na metodologia de incentivos e penalidades a proposta visa direcionar as distribuidoras de energia, que estão em diferentes níveis de qualidade do serviço técnico e comercial, a melhorar de forma integral a qualidade dos serviços prestados. Para tanto, utiliza-se mecanismos baseados em curvas exponenciais de custos vs. qualidade para os indicadores técnicos de duração e frequência das interrupções, e uma metodologia linear para o indicador comercial que representa os serviços comerciais executados dentro do prazo. Tal conceito traduz com maior fidedignidade os esforços/relaxamentos das distribuidoras para melhoria/piora dos indicadores e, por consequência, a definição de incentivos justos e condizentes com o atual estágio de qualidade das mesmas. / Based on best international practices, this work presents a proposal to improve the regulatory framework based on four regulatory instruments: indicators, limits, compensation and incentives/penalties, in order to encourage the improvement of quality of service (QoS) in technical, commercial, collective and individual aspects. Regarding the indicators, the proposal is focused on monitoring the duration and frequency of interruptions through accumulated indicators measured in monthly and annual periods. Thus, it does not consider the maximum measured interruption in the monthly period, in order to ensure that electricity distribution companies (EDC) in better quality stages are not excessively penalized by the limits for a single interruption. In the compensation policy, this proposal shows a better balance between the amounts paid by EDC and the real compensation for customers with poor QoS. In order to achieve this goal, individual limits are fixed for each company, divided into voltage levels and location, using the 97% percentile of cumulative frequency histograms of individual indicators made in the three previous years of the periodic tariff review (more flexible limits). However, the compensation formula was modified such that these limits, when violated, can generate compensations for the total shutdown time, and not only for the period above the limit (ANEEL methodology). For customers, the result is a significant increase in compensation, consistent with the amounts paid for the service. For EDC, it opens up the possibility of having greater management of repair times, both for emergency assistance and scheduled shutdowns. In this methodology of incentives and penalties the proposal aims to direct EDC, which are in different levels of quality of service (technical and commercial), to improve holistically the QoS provided. To do so, it uses mechanisms based on exponential cost curves vs. quality for the technical indicators of duration and frequency of interruptions, and a linear methodology for commercial indicator representing the commercial services performed by the deadline. This concept better translates the effect of reliability efforts/relaxations by the EDC on the improvement/worsening of indicators and, consequently, the definition of fair and balanced incentives that are consistent with the current state of it QoS.

The development of future smart electricity grids is driven by efficiency and climate targets and economic benefit for producers, retailers and customers on the deregulated electricity market. Since most investments will be made by grid owners acting as regulated monopolies, it is unclear how they will get return on their investments. Can demand response programs create cost reductions for the grid owner that help motivate the investment in smart grids? Two cases of cost reduction opportunities are evaluated assuming that peak loads are reduced by a demand response program: optimization of cable dimensions for lower peak loads when building new grids, and avoided investments in reinforced capacity in the existing grid. Potential cost reductions are estimated for the two example cases, using financial and technical data for Fortum's local distribution grid in Stockholm. The result shows that reducing the capacity in the cables by 70-80 % only brings down investment costs by 3-4 %, since the common expense for excavation outweighs the incremental cost of cables. Over-capacity means increased redundancy and flexibility to increase load in the future, which are valuable features for a grid owner.Regarding investments in the existing grid, a substation that needs replacement because of overload is analyzed. Assuming a continued trend of steadily increasing load, a 34 % peak load reduction would delay the investment 20 years, which is in turn worth 900,000 SEK in 2010 prices.

Baseado nas melhores práticas internacionais, este trabalho apresenta uma proposta de melhoria do arcabouço regulatório baseados em quatro instrumentos regulatórios: indicadores, limites, compensações e incentivos/penalidades, com o objetivo de incentivar a melhoria da qualidade do serviço nos aspectos técnicos, comerciais, coletivos e individuais. Em relação aos indicadores, a proposta está focada no acompanhamento da duração e a frequência das interrupções por meio de indicadores acumulados em períodos de apuração mensais e anuais. Desta forma, é desconsiderado o acompanhamento da máxima interrupção no período mensal, a fim de garantir que as concessionárias de energia que estão em melhor estágio de qualidade não sejam excessivamente penalizadas pelos limites estabelecidos para uma única interrupção. Na política de compensações, a proposta consiste em trazer um maior equilíbrio entre os montantes pagos pelas concessionárias e o verdadeiro ressarcimento dos clientes com má qualidade do serviço. Para isto, são fixados limites individuais únicos para cada empresa, segregados em níveis de tensão e localização, utilizando o percentil 97% dos histogramas de frequência acumulada dos indicadores individuais realizados nos três anos anteriores ao ano da revisão tarifária periódica (limites mais flexíveis). No entanto, a fórmula de compensações foi modificada de tal forma que estes limites, quando violados, gerem compensações para o tempo total de desligamento, e não somente para o período acima do limite (metodologia ANEEL). Para os clientes, o resultado é o expressivo aumento de compensações, condizentes com os valores pagos pelo serviço. Para as empresas, abre-se a possibilidade de ter uma maior gestão dos tempos de reparo, tanto de atendimento emergencial quanto dos desligamentos programados. Na metodologia de incentivos e penalidades a proposta visa direcionar as distribuidoras de energia, que estão em diferentes níveis de qualidade do serviço técnico e comercial, a melhorar de forma integral a qualidade dos serviços prestados. Para tanto, utiliza-se mecanismos baseados em curvas exponenciais de custos vs. qualidade para os indicadores técnicos de duração e frequência das interrupções, e uma metodologia linear para o indicador comercial que representa os serviços comerciais executados dentro do prazo. Tal conceito traduz com maior fidedignidade os esforços/relaxamentos das distribuidoras para melhoria/piora dos indicadores e, por consequência, a definição de incentivos justos e condizentes com o atual estágio de qualidade das mesmas. / Based on best international practices, this work presents a proposal to improve the regulatory framework based on four regulatory instruments: indicators, limits, compensation and incentives/penalties, in order to encourage the improvement of quality of service (QoS) in technical, commercial, collective and individual aspects. Regarding the indicators, the proposal is focused on monitoring the duration and frequency of interruptions through accumulated indicators measured in monthly and annual periods. Thus, it does not consider the maximum measured interruption in the monthly period, in order to ensure that electricity distribution companies (EDC) in better quality stages are not excessively penalized by the limits for a single interruption. In the compensation policy, this proposal shows a better balance between the amounts paid by EDC and the real compensation for customers with poor QoS. In order to achieve this goal, individual limits are fixed for each company, divided into voltage levels and location, using the 97% percentile of cumulative frequency histograms of individual indicators made in the three previous years of the periodic tariff review (more flexible limits). However, the compensation formula was modified such that these limits, when violated, can generate compensations for the total shutdown time, and not only for the period above the limit (ANEEL methodology). For customers, the result is a significant increase in compensation, consistent with the amounts paid for the service. For EDC, it opens up the possibility of having greater management of repair times, both for emergency assistance and scheduled shutdowns. In this methodology of incentives and penalties the proposal aims to direct EDC, which are in different levels of quality of service (technical and commercial), to improve holistically the QoS provided. To do so, it uses mechanisms based on exponential cost curves vs. quality for the technical indicators of duration and frequency of interruptions, and a linear methodology for commercial indicator representing the commercial services performed by the deadline. This concept better translates the effect of reliability efforts/relaxations by the EDC on the improvement/worsening of indicators and, consequently, the definition of fair and balanced incentives that are consistent with the current state of it QoS.

Future development of electric power systems must pursue anumber of different goals. The power system should beeconomically efficient, it should provide reliable energysupply and should not damage the environment. At the same time,operation and development of the system is influenced by avariety of uncertain and random factors. The planner attemptsto find the best strategy from a large number of possiblealternatives. Thus, the complexity of the problems related topower systems planning is mainly caused by presence of multipleobjectives, uncertain information and large number ofvariables. This dissertation is devoted to consideration of themethods for development planning of a certain subsystem, i.e.the distribution network. The dissertation first tries to formulate the networkplanning problem in general form in terms of Bayesian DecisionTheory. However, the difficulties associated with formulationof the utility functions make it almost impossible to apply theBayesian approach directly. Moreover, when approaching theproblem applying different methods it is important to considerthe concave character of the utility function. Thisconsideration directly leads to the multi-criteria formulationof the problem, since the decision is motivated not only by theexpected value of revenues (or losses), but also by theassociated risks. The conclusion is made that the difficultiescaused by the tremendous complexity of the problem can beovercome either by introducing a number of simplifications,leading to the considerable loss in precision or applyingmethods based on modifications of Monte-Carlo or fuzzyarithmetic and Genetic Algorithms (GA), or Dynamic Programming(DP). In presence of uncertainty the planner aims at findingrobust and flexible plans to reducethe risk of considerablelosses. Several measures of risk are discussed. It is shownthat measuring risk by regret may lead to risky solutions,therefore an alternative measure - Expected Maximum Value - issuggested. The general future model, called fuzzy-probabilistictree of futures, integrates all classes of uncertain parameters(probabilistic, fuzzy and truly uncertain). The suggested network planning software incorporates threeefficient applications of GA. The first algorithm searchessimultaneously for the whole set of Pareto optimal solutions.The hybrid GA/DP approach benefits from the global optimizationproperties of GA and local search by DP resulting in originalalgorithm with improved convergence properties. Finally, theStochastic GA can cope with noisy objective functions. Finally, two real distribution network planning projectsdealing with primary distribution network in the large city andsecondary network in the rural area are studied.

<p>Future development of electric power systems must pursue anumber of different goals. The power system should beeconomically efficient, it should provide reliable energysupply and should not damage the environment. At the same time,operation and development of the system is influenced by avariety of uncertain and random factors. The planner attemptsto find the best strategy from a large number of possiblealternatives. Thus, the complexity of the problems related topower systems planning is mainly caused by presence of multipleobjectives, uncertain information and large number ofvariables. This dissertation is devoted to consideration of themethods for development planning of a certain subsystem, i.e.the distribution network.</p><p>The dissertation first tries to formulate the networkplanning problem in general form in terms of Bayesian DecisionTheory. However, the difficulties associated with formulationof the utility functions make it almost impossible to apply theBayesian approach directly. Moreover, when approaching theproblem applying different methods it is important to considerthe concave character of the utility function. Thisconsideration directly leads to the multi-criteria formulationof the problem, since the decision is motivated not only by theexpected value of revenues (or losses), but also by theassociated risks. The conclusion is made that the difficultiescaused by the tremendous complexity of the problem can beovercome either by introducing a number of simplifications,leading to the considerable loss in precision or applyingmethods based on modifications of Monte-Carlo or fuzzyarithmetic and Genetic Algorithms (GA), or Dynamic Programming(DP).</p><p>In presence of uncertainty the planner aims at findingrobust and flexible plans to reducethe risk of considerablelosses. Several measures of risk are discussed. It is shownthat measuring risk by regret may lead to risky solutions,therefore an alternative measure - Expected Maximum Value - issuggested. The general future model, called fuzzy-probabilistictree of futures, integrates all classes of uncertain parameters(probabilistic, fuzzy and truly uncertain).</p><p>The suggested network planning software incorporates threeefficient applications of GA. The first algorithm searchessimultaneously for the whole set of Pareto optimal solutions.The hybrid GA/DP approach benefits from the global optimizationproperties of GA and local search by DP resulting in originalalgorithm with improved convergence properties. Finally, theStochastic GA can cope with noisy objective functions.</p><p>Finally, two real distribution network planning projectsdealing with primary distribution network in the large city andsecondary network in the rural area are studied.</p>

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This thesis provides an empirical case study as to whether, and, how the macro political dynamics might lead to the micro organisational changes of cost management practices in public sector organisations. It draws on Dillard et al.'s (2004) version of institutional theory complemented by Burns and Scapens' (2000) model. Empirical data for the thesis came from an extended case study (Burawoy, 1998) of a state-owned enterprise in the Egyptian Electricity and Energy (E&E) Sector, in which semi-structured interviews, field observations and documentary analysis were deployed as the data collection methods. The thesis highlights the necessity of seeing cost management change, especially in the politically sensitive public utilities in less developed countries, as an institutional political change that brings together the wider political objectives of the state and the narrower economic objectives of the firms. Accordingly, it provides a political theorisation for cost management change in the public sector. There, the dynamics are the fact that the E&E costs in the Egyptian business environment are historically managed at three distinct but interrelated institutional levels: political level, field level, and organisational level. For example, with the failure of re-privatisation attempts, new forms of periodic control reports have emerged including a 'cost report' which has been instrumental in changing managerial actions and behaviours. With modernisation programmes accompanied by reprivatisation attempts, initiated by the Egyptian government and supported by the international development agencies such as the World Bank and the European Union, advanced ERP technologies have been brought in to institutionalise costing rules and routines. With ERP, the organisational management under what are effectively military practices has re-defined cost management processes into a single procedural protocol.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a composição setorial do consumo de energia elétrica incorporado às exportações brasileiras em cada área de concessão de distribuição. Para tanto, foi elaborada uma matriz de insumo-produto inter-regional e coeficientes setoriais de consumo de energia elétrica por área de concessão. Foi constatado que o consumo de energia elétrica incorporado às exportações é maior nos setores industriais e que a produção destinada à exportação é mais eletrointensiva que a produção destinada ao consumo interno em 37 das 58 áreas de concessão analisadas. / The objective of this dissertation is to analyze the sectorial composition of the electric energy consumption used in the production of exported goods and services in each electricity distribution concession area in Brazil. To accomplish this goal, an input-output matrix was elaborated, along with sectorial coefficients of electric energy intensity. The results indicate that the sector which consumes the most energy in their exports is the industrial sector. There was also an indication that Brazilian exports consume more electric energy throughout their productive structure than the production absorbed internally in 37 of the 58 electricity distribution concession areas.