Power quality and losses in 0.38 kV rural distribution networks

Abstract

The guidelines for the design of rural and urban power supply systems do not consider the issues of reactive power compensation and reduction in additional losses due to unbalanced and non-sinusoidal conditions. At the same time, today’s rural power consumers have a great number of non-linear loads in their residential premises. Moreover, the unbalanced phase currents and voltages are an established fact. The paper aims to demonstrate the extent to which power quality and losses vary in real rural 0.38 kV networks. To this end, the objectives were posed to study the operation of two facilities: 1- switchgear at the cottage (with an installed capacity of 15 kW); 2- switchgear at the communal entrance hallway for 60 apartments in an apartment building (with an installed capacity of 75 kW).