On September 24, 2023, I posed an article in which I explained how poorly maintained switchgear could lead to long-lasting power quality issues. In that article, which was based on an actual incident in Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa, I mentioned that the voltages of two of the three phases increased by more than 51% while the third phase dropped to a value which was almost zero. I also stated that further investigation was needed “to determine the cause of the voltage discrepancy”. The content of this article was also posted on other media with links sent to several people I believed should be made aware of what could be happening without anyone knowing about it. Amongst them was someone who, from what I was told, sent the information to the municipality. I even placed the pertinent parts of the article in a newsletter that was sent to those on a mailing list, including people at Eskom.
In that same article, I commented that I am not sure whether an investigation will be done. Almost five months later and numerous more attempts from my side to “escalate” this kind of issue, and I have not been contacted. So, I am beginning that believe that the municipalities and/or Eskom is unperturbed about issues of poor Power Quality.
Phase Imbalance in Distribution Networks
On October 2, 2023, I posted another article in which I stated that “In many cases operators and maintenance crews are unaware of the negative consequences that phase imbalances can have on LV networks and electrical equipment. Current imbalances would lead to a reduction in the serviceable loading capacity of LV cables and distribution transformers. Because of the imbalances, some of the phases could carry higher loads while the remaining phase or phases could be lightly loaded but, the limiting factor for the addition of three-phase loads is the current on the highest loaded phase or phases.
“Current imbalances can also cause additional heat losses in distribution transformers and LV cables in both the phase and neutral conductors. These types of losses represent a significant part of the total losses occurring in LV networks.
“When end users, such as municipalities, are supplied by unbalanced voltages, induction machines and power converters face adverse effects such as reduced efficiency, increased losses, potentially dangerous overheating and, in some situations, premature failures. At severe voltage or current imbalance levels, some types of protection relays could malfunction, leading to miscoordination, nuisance tripping and lack of selectivity.”
In that same article, I also said that such issues are usually not restricted to just the one substation. Often it may affect an entire region, depending on where the fault is located. There be many such issues going unnoticed.
Late December 2023, I learned that people in the Magaliesburg area are having to replace electric motors and other electronic equipment quite frequently. Earlier this week, while in the Magaliesburg area, I noticed the signs of an Unbalanced Network. This has probably been going on for many years, listening to those living and running businesses in that area.
Cost of Complacency
On November 7, 2023, I posted an article in which I pointed out how unbalanced voltages, phase-shift variations, and harmonics disturbances would result in enormous economic losses. This was aimed at accountants and financial officers to make them sit up and start to notice how some financial losses at their businesses are preventable. I mentioned how “customers on that feeder [the one in Benoni], are most likely paying around 237.27% more than they ought to”.
Now, the question is: is there an Unfazed Attitude Towards Power Quality Issues?
Judging by the lack of action from all those who have or must have seen these articles, I would say YES, there certainly is Unfazed Attitude Towards Power Quality Issues.
