ABSTRACT
Utilization is the “end result” of the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power. The energy carried by the transmission and distribution system is turned into useful work, light, heat, or a combination of these items at the utilization point. Improper characterization of utilization can result of over or under building of power system facilities and stressing of system equipment beyond design capabilities. The chapter describes some of the basic concepts used to characterize and model loads in electric power systems. A number of terms are used to characterize the magnitude and intensity of loads. The terms include energy, demand, demand factor and load factor. Load curves and load duration curves graphically convey very detailed information about the characteristics of loads over time. Load models can generally be divided into a variety of categories for modeling purposes. The appropriate load model depends largely on the application.
