Quality of Power in the Industrial Sector

Industries have added sensitive electrical loads such as computers and electronic equipment to improve efficiency, lower costs and to raise the overall quality of the product being manufactured. With this new technology there is a requirement for a quality of power that has not been available by the electric utility. Sensitive loads cannot tolerate electrical disturbances such as harmonic distortions, overvoltage, undervoltage, momentary interruptions and transients that are inherent in the utility distribution system. The industrial customer turns to the power supplier to provide technical support, monitoring and assistance to upgrade the quality of power into the plant. Even though studies have shown only 20% of the problems identified are actually utility generated it is the responsibility of the utility to help the customer isolate and solve the problem. The motto of the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Quality of Power program is "If a customer perceives he has a problem, we have a problem." The commitment has been made to assist the customer until he is satisfied the problem is in fact solved