The hourly variation factor is usually taken as 1.5. This means that the hourly demand is 1.5 times the average demand. This factor is used to account for the fact that demand is not constant throughout the day. There are times when demand is higher, such as during peak hours, and times when demand is lower, such as during off-peak hours. By using an hourly variation factor, utilities can ensure that they have enough capacity to meet demand even during peak hours.
Option A: 1.5 is the most common value used for the hourly variation factor. This is because it is a good compromise between overestimating and underestimating demand. Option B: 1.8 is a higher value that is sometimes used to account for periods of very high demand. Option C: 2.0 is a very high value that is rarely used. Option D: 2.7 is an extremely high value that is never used.