In the latest newsletter which would be published on November 14, 2023, I am making another attempt, this time, to catch the attention of accountants and financial officers explaining to them how unbalanced voltages, phase-shift variations, and harmonics disturbances would result in enormous economic losses.
But first, I must go back to a previous blog posted September 24, 2023, in which I referred to unbalanced voltages and currents I “accidently” came across when I analyzed the measurements, I took for a consulting engineer who wanted to know what the maximum loading on a 6.6kV cable feeder is.
On our website, there are two pages which are particularly relevant to understand the consequences of unbalanced voltages, phase-shift variations, and harmonics disturbances. The most recent one explains how unbalanced three-phase quantities are decomposed into their symmetrical components to understand what happens “almost undetected” but have an enormous impact on the power system. In an earlier published, Negative Phase Sequences have a harmful effect on power system equipment and operation.
In the latest newsletter mentioned above and called Financial Losses Resulting from an Unbalanced Network which would be published on November 14, 2023, under the heading Cost of Sales Losses, I explain how some large power users – industrial and commercial – are paying for Apparent Power (kVA) while they can only effectively use the Real Power (kW). In the incident referred to in the blog posted September 24, 2023, the customers on that feeder, are most likely paying around 237.27% more than they ought to. The ratio of kVA to kW is 3.37:1.
The question is: is that restricted only to large power users – industrial and commercial – or do single-phase power users also get charged so much more. The answer is a little more complex and not that straightforward, but the simpler answer is yes, they do. Everyone, single-and three-phase power users is charged per unit and that unit is kVAh and not kWh. So, those power users fed from that feeder are paying approximately 3.37 times for what they are getting.
When you do go and lay a complaint with the power utility company, they will make you pay to have the electricity meter tested, and I can tell you beforehand, there will be nothing wrong with the meter. What happens next is also not going to solve the problem. Someone will be sent out to check the voltages and currents at the substation, and even that will show that there is “nothing wrong”. Why, they check the voltages between phases with a panel meter which is grossly inaccurate. That would then finally “prove” that there is “nothing wrong”.
If anyone believes that this is only restricted to one area, think again. I have had a discussion with someone from Middelburg, Mpumalanga, South Africa since the incident I referred to previously, who also complaint that their account is mysteriously double than it used to be.