Load
The electricity being drawn by users and equipment.
An incoming connection supplies a building. The sketch symbolizes demand, rather than showing a complete electrical circuit.
Load means electrical demand, or the equipment consuming electrical power. System load changes throughout the day as people, businesses, and machines change their activities.
A demand and the equipment creating it
“Load” can describe an individual appliance, a building’s demand, or the total demand across a region. The context determines the boundary. A quoted MW figure should also specify whether it is instantaneous, averaged, or a peak.
Loads vary as activities start and stop. Lighting, motors, heating, cooling, and vehicle charging have different patterns. Some loads can be shifted or controlled; others have little flexibility.
Why it matters
Understanding the amount, timing, and location of load is essential when operating and expanding a network.