THE INFLUENCE OF REGULATORY CHANGES IN REACTIVE ENERGY ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS AND QUALITY OF THE SERVICE

Abstract

Discharging reactive power distribution networks contributes to reducing active energy losses and increasing electricity transit capacity. Inappropriate management of reactive power sources in distribution networks, including those from network users, leads to uncontrolled reactive power circulation with effects on voltage levels and losses. Considering that to date the charging of the electricity distribution service is made through simple (monome) rates expressed in RON / Mwh, without considering billing power absorbed and maximum consumption time, the only element by which the user is warned over network behavior is the reactive energy billing mode. Regulatory changes to reactive energy can also lead to changes in addressing technical aspects of installations at the managed delimitation point. Both the change of retailer's revenue from reactive energy and the penalty mode impacts has an impact on the quality of the distribution service. Switching from full billing to capacitive reactive energy (energy sent to the grid) upon admission of an unanswered reactive injection equivalent to 48.44% of active energy is a technical and financial relaxation for users with consequences for distributors. The lack of analyzes or studies related to regulatory changes allow us to present some considerations regarding reactive energy in distribution networks.

Keywords

• reactive
• power factor
• revenue