Loop Plant Modeling: A Simple Model for Studying Feeder Capacity Expansion

Abstract

Using a very simple model of feeder cable sizing facilitates the discussion of many interesting questions: How sensitive are sizing decisions to various items of data? How does the need for expensive conduit affect cable size? What kind of economy-of-scale can be expected from consolidating routes into larger backbone configurations? What effect might randomness or uncertainty in the demand forecast have on sizing? How might sizing be affected by limits on available capital? The simple sizing model discussed assumes linear growth of demand over an infinite horizon in an isolated feeder section. The cost of cable or conduit is assumed to be composed of a fixed charge plus a cost per unit of capacity added.