By definition, power factor is the ratio of real power to apparent power. Real power is the power doing the work in the facility (kW); turning motor shafts, lighting and heating. Reactive power does no work but is required to create magnetic fields in motors and transformers (kVAr). Apparent power is the total amount of power (kVA) consumed by a customer including the real (working) power and the reactive (non-working) power. This is the power that SRP must deliver to the customer for all the energy-consuming equipment to operate.
Low power factor loads increase losses in a power distribution system and result in increased cost for electrical energy use. This condition often results in excessive heating of equipment and low voltage conditions in your facility, and can reduce the life of your equipment, cause dimming of your lights as well as sluggish operation of your equipment. Low power factor also negatively affects an electric utility such as SRP by forcing us to incur the expense of generating additional electric current for the system.
Most often low power factor situations can be improved by installing capacitor banks or by making other system modifications. These improvements will enhance the condition of your systems and eliminate the impact of potential power factor penalties. In most cases, improvements can be accomplished with an attractive return on investment.
Understanding power factor correction is the first step towards securing power factor energy savings. Power factor correction is a means of providing compensation to more efficiently use your power
Our power factor correction systems are available in floor-standing and wall-mount solutions, functional trays or loose components.