Predicting electricity demand in Cameroon with enhanced modified exponential models: A focus on the southern integrated grid (S.I.G)

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This paper is centered on the prediction of electricity demand within the Southern Integrated Grid (S.I.G) for the forthcoming six years (2022–2027) through the utilization of advanced forecasting techniques. These methodologies encompass modified exponential, probabilistic or stochastic extrapolation and linear regression models. The foundation of these forecasts is established on a comprehensive examination of load curve data spanning 12 years (2010–2021) and an analysis of the factors influencing electricity demand in Cameroon. The models are implemented using Matlab and Excel, enabling the projection of results. The results of this analysis reveal a consistent growth trend in Cameroon's electricity demand between 2022 and 2027. the modified exponential model foresees an increase from 991.16MW to 1189.25MW, the probabilistic model from 969.68MW to 1109.20MW, and the linear regression model from 853.46MW to 975.89MW. Despite the inherent limitations, the outcomes prove to be satisfactory, marked by a high level of accuracy and reliability, as evidenced by mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values of 0.2% for the modified exponential and probabilistic methods and 0.55% for the linear regression method. These scores fall well below the industry-accepted benchmark of MAPE < 10% outlined by the Lewis benchmark. In a comparative analysis, it is evident that the modified exponential and probabilistic models exhibit superior accuracy.