Power Factor Surveys

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Where an electrical installation has an inherently poor power factor, the apparent power (KVA) required to satisfy any KW load will be higher, as will the reactive power (kvar) consumption. When the power factor is below 0.95, the supply authority may apply a charge to the energy bill.

In order to avoid this charge, power factor correction equipment can be installed to improve the power factor and reduce the KVA requirement of the installation.

A reduction in KVA consumption may also provide the opportunity to renegotiate the “Agreed Supply Capacity”, which would also save money, or enable additional plant to be supplied without financial penalty. A further benefit is the reduction in carbon footprint, as less electricity needs to be generated to meet demand.

A power factor survey can monitor the supply and record the kW, KVA and kvar, as well as the power factor. This can be either an instantaneous spot check, or a more comprehensive survey taken over a week or more.

On completion of the survey, we will issue a report that you can use to select an appropriate power factor correction unit.

We can advise on where and how to connect any new equipment, as well as commissioning and ongoing maintenance.