Evaluation of system losses due to harmonics in medium voltage distribution networks

Power system harmonics are a known cause to failure, disoperation or premature aging of customer's equipment. It also causes additional losses in a distribution network that influence the planning and design of future networks and the cost of serving energy. The impact on apparent power capacity and active energy losses are evaluated in this paper, based on actual data recorded in a typical South African medium voltage distribution network. The goal is to create a classification tool for local utilities to estimate losses and the impact on planning and revenue caused by harmonic distortion levels in a distribution network.