Importance of Voltage Quality - KPI

The voltage quality has a growing economic impact on the customer and the network operators. The costs related along with "lack of quality" could be large, especially for industrial customers. Commonly voltage quality is considered at the customer's linking point. Therefore, the reasons for the growing significance of voltage quality lie not inside the power system itself but are closely associated to the developments in customers' equipment. Some significant examples are:

1. Customer equipment holds more microprocessor controls and power electronic devices that could be sensitive to variations in voltage quality;
2. The growing significance of higher energy effectiveness has led to an increase in the number of adjustable motor drives and shunt capacitors that produce harmonics on the power system;
3. Processes and equipment have become more interconnected and interrelated that could make them more vulnerable to failure of one component;
4. Customers are becoming more aware about the issue of voltage quality and becoming more demanding in that respect.

Utilities need to meet customer demands and expectations. Along with the introduction of competition among them it is significant for a utility to manage its customers' confidence. While the financial consequences of solving voltage quality problems affect the economic position of the network operator, voltage quality becomes an issue for the regulator.