The electrical load schedule is an estimate of the instantaneous electrical loads operating in a

facility, in terms of active, reactive and apparent power (measured in kW, kVAR and kVA
respectively). The load schedule is usually categorised by switchboard or occasionally by subfacility / area.

Why do the calculation?

Preparing the load schedule is one of the earliest tasks that needs to be done as it is essentially a
pre-requisite for some of the key electrical design activities (such as equipment sizing and power
system studies).

When to do the calculation?

The electrical load schedule can typically be started with a preliminary key single line diagram (or
at least an idea of the main voltage levels in the system) and any preliminary details of process /
building / facility loads. It is recommended that the load schedule is started as soon as practically
possible.

Calculation Methodology
There are no standards governing load schedules and therefore this calculation is based on
generally accepted industry practice. The following methodology assumes that the load schedule
is being created for the first time and is also biased towards industrial plants. The basic steps for
creating a load schedule are:

Step 1: Collect a list of the expected electrical loads in the facility

Step 2: For each load, collect the electrical parameters, e.g. nominal / absorbed
ratings, power factor, efficiency, etc

Step 3: Classify each of the loads in terms of switchboard location, load duty and load
criticality

Step 4: For each load, calculate the expected consumed load

Step 5: For each switchboard and the overall system, calculate operating, peak and
design load

Step 1: Collect list of loads

The first step is to gather a list of all the electrical loads that will be supplied by the power
system affected by the load schedule. There are generally two types of loads that need to
be collected:

Process loads - are the loads that are directly relevant to the facility. In factories and
industrial plants, process loads are the motors, heaters, compressors, conveyors, etc

that form the main business of the plant. Process loads can normally be found on
either Mechanical Equipment Lists or Process and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID's).

Non-process loads - are the auxiliary loads that are necessary to run the facility, e.g.
lighting, HVAC, utility systems (power and water), DCS/PLC control systems, fire
safety systems, etc. These loads are usually taken from a number of sources, for
example HVAC engineers, instruments, telecoms and control systems engineers,
safety engineers, etc. Some loads such as lighting, UPS, power generation auxiliaries,
etc need to be estimated by the electrical engineer.

Step 2: Collect electrical load parameters

A number of electrical load parameters are necessary to construct the load
schedule:

Rated power is the full load or nameplate rating of the load and represents the
maximum continuous power output of the load. For motor loads, the rated power
corresponds to the standard motor size (e.g. 11kW, 37kW, 75kW, etc). For load items
that contain sub-loads (e.g. distribution boards, package equipment, etc), the rated
power is typically the maximum power output of the item (i.e. with all its sub-loads in
service).

Absorbed power is the expected power that will be drawn by the load. Most loads
will not operate at its rated capacity, but at a lower point. For example, absorbed
motor loads are based on the mechanical power input to the shaft of the driven
equipment at its duty point. The motor is typically sized so that the rated capacity of
the motor exceeds the expected absorbed load by some conservative design margin.
Where information regarding the absorbed loads is not available, then a load factor of
between 0.8 and 0.9 is normally applied.

Power factor of the load is necessary to determine the reactive components of the
load schedule. Normally the load power factor at full load is used, but the power
factor at the duty point can also be used for increased accuracy. Where power factors
are not readily available, then estimates can be used (typically 0.85 for motor loads
>7.5kW, 1.0 for heater loads and 0.8 for all other loads).

Efficiency accounts for the losses incurred when converting electrical energy to
mechanical energy (or whatever type of energy the load outputs). Some of the
electrical power drawn by the load is lost, usually in the form of heat to the ambient

environment. Where information regarding efficiencies is not available, then estimates

of between 0.8 and 1 can be used (typically 0.85 or 0.9 is used when efficiencies are
unknown).

Step 3: Classify the loads

Once the loads have been identified, they need to be
classified accordingly:

Voltage Level
What voltage level and which switchboard should the load be
located? Large loads may need to be on MV or HV
switchboards depending on the size of the load and how many
voltage levels are available. Typically, loads <150kW tend to
be on the LV system (400V - 690V), loads between 150kW
and 10MW tend to be on an intermediate MV system (3.3kV 6.6kV) where available and loads >10MW are usually on the
HV distribution system (11kV - 33kV). Some consideration
should also be made for grouping the loads on a switchboard
in terms of sub-facilities, areas or sub-systems (e.g. a
switchboard for the compression train sub-system or the
drying area).

Load duty
Loads are classified according to their duty as either
continuous, intermittent and standby loads:
1) Continuous loads are those that normally operate continuously over a 24 hour period,
e.g. process loads, control systems, lighting and small power distribution boards, UPS
systems, etc
2) Intermittent loads that only operate a fraction of a 24 hour period, e.g. intermittent
pumps and process loads, automatic doors and gates, etc
3) Standby loads are those that are on standby or rarely operate under normal
conditions, e.g. standby loads, emergency systems, etc
Note that for redundant loads (e.g. 2 x 100%
duty / standby motors), one is usually
classified as continuous and the other classified
as standby. This if purely for the purposes of
the load schedule and does not reflect the
actual operating conditions of the loads, i.e.
both redundant loads will be equally used even
though one is classified as a standby load.

Load criticality

Loads are typically classified as either normal,

essential and critical:
1) Normal loads are those that run under normal operating conditions, e.g. main process
loads, normal lighting and small power, ordinary office and workshop loads, etc
2) Essential loads are those necessary under emergency conditions, when the main
power supply is disconnected and the system is being supported by an emergency
generator, e.g. emergency lighting, key process loads that operate during emergency
conditions, fire and safety systems, etc
3) Critical are those critical for the operation of safety systems and for facilitating or
assisting evacuation from the plant, and would normally be supplied from a UPS or
battery system, e.g. safety-critical shutdown systems, escape lighting, etc

Step 4: Calculate
consumed load
The consumed load is the
quantity of electrical power that
the load is expected to
consume. For each load,
calculate the consumed active
and reactive loading, derived as
follows:

Where

is the

consumed active load

(kW)
is the consumed reactive load (kVAr)
is the absorbed load (kW)
is the load efficiency (pu)
is the load power factor (pu)
Notice that the
loads have been
categorised into
three columns
depending on
their load duty

(continuous,
intermittent or
standby). This is
done in order to
make it visually
easier to see the
load duty and
more
importantly, to
make it easier to
sum the loads
according to
their duty (e.g.
sum of all
continuous
loads), which is
necessary to
calculate the
operating, peak
and design loads.

Step 5:
Calculate
operating,
peak and
design
loads
Many
organisations /
clients have their
own distinct
method for
calculating
operating, peak
and design loads,
but a generic
method is
presented as
follows:

Operating
load
The operating
load is the
expected load

during normal
operation. The
operating load is
calculated as
follows:

Where
is the
operating
load (kW or
kVAr)
is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)

Peak
load
The
peak
load is
the
expect
ed
maxim
um
load
during
normal
operati
on.
Peak
loading
is
typicall
y
infrequ
ent
and of
short
duratio
n,
occurri
ng

when
standb
y loads
are
operat
ed
(e.g.
for
change
over of
redund
ant
machin
es,
testing
of
safety
equipm
ent,
etc).
The
peak
load is
calcula
ted as
the
larger
of
either:

or

W
he
re
is
th
e
pe
ak
loa

d
(k
W
or
kV
Ar
)
is the sum of all continuous loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all intermittent loads (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)
is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)

Desig
n load
The
design
load is
the
load to
be used
for the
design
for
equipm
ent
sizing,
electric
al
studies,
etc.
The
design
load is
generic
ally
calculat
ed as
the
larger
of
either:

or

Where

is

the design load

(kW or kVAr)
is the operating load (kW or kVAr)
is the sum of all standby loads (kW or kVAr)
is the largest standby load (kW or kVAr)

The design load

includes a marg

any errors in loa

estimation, load

growth or the a

of unforeseen lo

that may appea

the design phas

load schedule is

more conservat

robust to errors
the other hand

however, equipm

often over-sized

result. Sometim

design load is n

calculated and t

peak load is use

design purposes

Worked
Example

Step 1: Col
list of load

Consider a sma

facility with the

following loads
identified:

2 x 100% vapour recovery compressors (process)

2 x 100% recirculation pumps (process)

1 x 100% sump pump (process)

2 x 50% firewater pumps (safety)

1 x 100% HVAC unit (HVAC)

1 x 100% AC UPS system (electrical)

1 x Normal lighting distribution board (electrical)

1 x Essential lighting distribution board (electrical)

Step 2: Col
electrical lo
parameter

The following el

parameters wer

for the loads ide

Step 1:

Step 3: Cla
the loads

Suppose we hav

voltage levels, 6

415V. The loads

classified as foll

Step 4: Cal
consumed
Calculating the

loads for each o

in this example

Step 5: Cal
operating,
and design

The operating, p

design loads are

as follows:

Normally you w

separate the loa

switchboard and

operating, peak

loads for each s

and one for the

system. Howeve
sake of simplici
in this example

lumped togethe

one set of opera

and design load

calculated.