Revised IEEE-1459 Power Definitions: A Revenue Metering Viewpoint

The IEEE 1459-2010 Standard was under review as of the writing of this paper. The reviewers had to take a step back into measurement theory and consider issues that were ambiguous or confusing, or simply not well explained. Examples include the use of a single symbol for several different definitions, or the distinction between what is measured from what is modelled by an equation, or the assumptions behind derived measurements. This paper reviews major assumptions and provides the rationale for separating the fundamental frequency components of active, reactive, and apparent power, from a revenue metering perspective. Measurement theory assisted in understanding the quantities and their relationships, and the concept of ‘fit-for-purpose’ measurements was applied to eliminate unnecessary quantities.