DESIGN OF RURAL ELECTRIFICAITON NETWORK FOR RIVERINE AREAS OF ILAJE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ONDO STATE

Abstract

This research work is to design Rural Electrification Network in the Riverine Area of Ilaje Local Government. The instrument used for the research is the primary data from the load survey, route survey and the secondary data from the existing geotechnical survey, specifications and documentations of the manufacturers and suppliers. The target rural electrification networks for the research are 33kV lines which extend from Ugbon-nla to Igo town and from Akintubuwa to Araromi seaside. The design drawings and computations were carried out with AUTOCAD and excel worksheet respectively. The annual population growth rate of 3.4% for the Ilaje Local Government Area with a forecasting period of ten (10) years were used for the purpose of determining the expected maximum load demand for the research areas. The primary feeder length from Ugbo-nla to Igbo town is 37.2km with sixteen (16) distribution substations and voltage at the end of the line is estimated to be 30.77kV. Moreover, the primary feeder line from Akintubuwa to Araromi seaside is 43km with fourteen (14) distribution substations and the voltage at the end of the line was computed to be 31.75kV. The resistance and reactance of the lines are 0.190Ω/km and 0.333Ω/km respectively. The estimated total cost are N1,023,365,634.06 and N1,188,440,833.97 for lines which extend from Akintubuwa to Araromi seaside and from Ugbonla to Igo town respectively. The line supports are concrete poles with 350/450mm precast concrete pile foundation and more that 50% of the cost of design and indeed the installation are attributed to civil works (pile foundation for poles). The results of the findings show an estimated load demand and expected maximum load demand of 3.78MW and 5.28MW respectively for the 33kV line from Akintubuwa to Araromi seaside and 6.82MW and 9.53MW respectively for the 33kV line from Ugbo-nla to Igo town. Notably, percentage voltage drops of the lines are within permissible limit standard and efficiency of the line is 98.0% and hence the design is appropriate for normal operating modes condition of the electrical network. The research concludes the facts that the design is reliable and sustainable in view of the improved technology with special attention to pile foundation for line supports. Moreover, the cost implication of rural riverine electrification network depends on the nature of the terrain and indeed soil conditions and is not dependent on the length of the line. The research recommends cast in situ concrete 300mm steel pile as a base foundation for poles in favour of primary feeder lines and town distribution Network (TDNS) in riverine water logged area so as to reduce project completion period as well as the need to model the electrical distribution system at regular and timely period as to provide competitive and excellent service to the consumers