Abstract

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The sources and pattern of supply of electrical energy in a typical medium-scale Textile manufacturing outfit was studied over three months. The frequency of power failure from municipal supply was 408, amounting to 929.64hrs power outage. Low voltage was recorded 98times totaling 156hrs. Much of these hours were covered by in-house supply. Comparison of rated and actual power consumption/annum showed the actual higher by 115.9 %. Stand-by generators, which supplied 49.57 % of the total energy consumed/annum, guzzled 52,110 litres of diesel and 42,240 litres of heavy-duty engine oil. Added to these are the costs of personnel running the four giant generators, lost production during power-source change-overs and other salient costs. Altogether, irregular municipal power supply and energy mismanagement amounted to losses running into millions of money units.

Keywords: Electricity, Diesel, Engine oil, Voltage, Consumption, Cost, Municipal