EFFECT OF DISTRIBUTION FEEDER LENGTH VARIATIONS ON POWER QUALITY AND SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

This study investigates the influence of transmission route length on voltage performance, power losses, and voltage drop within electrical distribution networks. Three representative line categories short (50 km), medium (200 km), and long (350 km) were modeled using standard transmission parameters and simulated under light (45%), normal (70%), and heavy (85%) loading conditions. Power flow analysis was performed using the Adaptive Newton-Raphson method to evaluate system behavior across all configurations. Results show a consistent decline in voltage profile with increasing line length, with heavy loading causing the most severe deviations. Power losses also escalated significantly along longer routes due to increased impedance, rising from 13.50 kW in the short line to 46.80 kW in the long line under heavy load. Voltage drop followed the same trend, reaching up to 29.03% in the long line during peak loading. The findings demonstrate that long transmission paths are more vulnerable to efficiency degradation and voltage instability, underscoring the need for compensation devices, optimized conductor sizing, and improved voltage-support mechanisms in extended distribution corridors. The study provides useful insights for planners and operators aiming to enhance power quality and reliability in expanding power networks.