Cable Lifecycle Cost Comparator — Compare Total Cost Over Time
A cable with a lower purchase price is not automatically the lowest-cost option over its operating life. Compare purchase, installation, energy losses, maintenance and replacement assumptions in one model.
Project assumptions
Option A — Copper
Option B — Aluminum
Why lifecycle cost changes the decision
Purchase price captures only the first transaction. Over years of operation, energy losses and maintenance can become significant, while replacement timing can change the total ownership picture further.
Energy losses are modeled separately
Enter annual loss in kWh rather than trying to turn cable efficiency into a single generic percentage. This makes the energy assumption explicit and easy to challenge or replace with project data.
Why energy-price growth is optional
Future tariffs are not known by this calculator. The growth field lets you test a scenario rather than implying a live forecast.
Example
If one option loses 900 kWh/year and another loses 1,200 kWh/year, the annual energy difference is 300 kWh. Over a 20-year horizon, the cumulative difference can be substantial depending on the electricity-price assumptions.
Limitations
The model does not discount future cash flows, model tax effects, or automatically forecast tariff changes. Add a project-specific financial model where those factors matter.
Frequently asked questions
Does the calculator use a live electricity tariff?
No. The tariff is entered by the user.
Can replacement happen inside the analysis period?
Yes. Replacement costs are added at completed interval multiples inside the selected period.
Does this prove copper or aluminum is better?
No. It only compares the costs represented by the inputs.