How does an increase in line loading affect I²R losses?

An increase in line loading leads to a rise in current flow through the transmission lines. I²R losses, which refer to the power loss due to the resistance in the conductors, are directly related to the square of the current flowing through them. The formula for these losses is given by the expression ( I^2R ), where ( I ) is the current and ( R ) is the resistance.

As the line loading increases, the current ( I ) also increases. Since the losses depend on the square of the current, even a small increase in current can result in a significantly larger increase in I²R losses. For example, if the current doubles, the power losses increase by a factor of four, illustrating that these losses grow rapidly with increased loading.

Therefore, when line loading rises, the resulting increase in current directly causes I²R losses to increase as well, leading to greater power losses in the transmission system. This relationship emphasizes the importance of managing line loading to minimize efficiency losses in power transmission systems.