Using simulations to enhance PQ monitoring [of industrial power systems]

Industrial and commercial production losses resulting from voltage sags and other voltage quality disturbances have been well documented in recent years. Electric distribution utilities worldwide are recognizing the increasing voltage sensitivities of many customer devices. These consumers often experience significant economic impacts as a result of subtle voltage quality disturbances. Consequently, many electric utilities have begun developing a service quality monitoring infrastructure so that the data needed to benchmark the level of service provided to the customer base can be obtained. Additionally, indices have been defined to summarize the measurement data collected and quantify service quality based on defined metrics. Situations arise where power quality measurement data is needed, but the capital investment required for monitoring is prohibitive. Methods for estimating power quality measurement data and the associated quality indices from existing field measurements and simulations are discussed. An example case is presented that illustrates the use of power quality measurement estimation by an electric utility for a customer power quality study.