Power and utility
Demand load
Demand load is the expected peak power use of a building. It is lower than the sum of everything that could be plugged in.
Oncor defines demand as the rate at which electric energy is used at any instant, or averaged over a set period, and measured in kW or kVA. It says the utility's demand interval is normally 15 minutes. Few devices run at full power at once, so demand is lower than the total connected load.
Sizing in a load calculation uses demand, which keeps a service upgrade from being too small or too large. Demand is measured in kW, while the bill counts kilowatt-hours. A licensed electrician can run the numbers. See commercial electrician services.
Related terms
Sources
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