In a 3 phase system the municipality will measure & bill on the kVA reading, irrespective of the power factor.

In a typical system the power factor is lagging and as such the customer must install power factor correction to reduce cost.

What happens in a case where the power factor is leading? Will the power meter be able to compensate for this and in effect reduce the cost?

 

In a 3 phase system the municipality will measure & bill on the kVA reading, irrespective of the power factor.

In a typical system the power factor is lagging and as such the customer must install power factor correction to reduce cost.

What happens in a case where the power factor is leading? Will the power meter be able to compensate for this and in effect reduce the cost?

No, it wont reduce the cost. You have to install a power factor correction device for leading power factor if your current power factor correction device is not able to do that.

 

In a 3 phase system the municipality will measure & bill on the kVA reading, irrespective of the power factor.

Actually, many power companies will charge more if the power factor is below a standard minimum value.

 

Actually, many power companies will charge more if the power factor is below a standard minimum value.

Can you explain why this is so?
I've heard of how power companies are thinking about charging residential customers for reactive loads because the times have changed.
What does this all mean?
How does a poor power factor cause there to be more cost? I've heard something about heating up the lines because of inductance, but how does this all play into costing the user more money?

 

Can you explain why this is so?
I've heard of how power companies are thinking about charging residential customers for reactive loads because the times have changed.
What does this all mean?
How does a poor power factor cause there to be more cost? I've heard something about heating up the lines because of inductance, but how does this all play into costing the user more money?

For large industrial customers, a highly reactive load can cause extra stress on transmission components, especially substations. It's not the lone customer, but the cumulative efffect of a lot of low-power-factor customers that make things hard on equipment...even though the actual power consumptions is less. In generaly, most transmission facilities are optimized for maximum efficiency at around 90% power factor.

Eric