-531 -
Rates Structure Modification Proposal
for Costumer with Nonlinear Loads
August0 A. Abreu M.
Energia Elkctrica de Venezuela C A
PO BOX 146, Maracaibo - Venezuela
Abstract: The scope of this paper is to show a method of
applying a different electrical rate to nonlinear load
customers in order to recover the impact of this kind of load
can cause in the electrical network, in this way the
distributors can be prepared and can invest on the network in
order to supply it, and it able us to recover technical losses
caused by harmonics current and all other harmonics related
problems. This is a sturjl case and it was done at Zulia 9
substation that supplies electrical power mainly to
electrosumergible pumps used for oil companies at Zulia
state, Venezuela.
Key Words: Metering, Harmonics Rates, Energy Losses,
Power Quality.
I. INTRODUCTION
The massive use of nonlinear loads in the last decade has
caused great inconvenient due to the increase of the
harmonics pollution on the power system and the related
problems that this can cause. it has been focused only to give
us a solution, by in the real world our customers don't want or
they can't fit this problem cause financial problems.
In order to find an answer to this, let's go back to basis.
When the inductive loads started to be common on the
network, there was an inconvenient. the power utilities had to
supply great amount of reactive power from the source to the
customers, so they had the responsibility of carrying out
investments in transmission, in order to deliver this power that
it was not billed.
There are two ways worldwide used to solve it. One of
them is regulating the power factor to a desired value and the
end user can have a penalty if this value gets below it. The
other one is billing the apparent power, it creates an incentive
to the customers to install reactive compensation equipments.
This last solution has the advantage to penalize in function of
the demand, this procedure is used in Venezuela. Like wise, it
can be used in a similar way with the harmonics in current.
Establishing an electrical rate that reflects the economical
impact that such currents multiple from de fundamental can
cause to the network, which it'll in the majority of the cases
push the costumer to search for devices that minimize the
insertion of them.
0- i8036499-6/CO/$lO. 00 2002IEEE
JosC T. C. Villalobos B.
This paper is focused to show the use and simplicity of
applying harmonics electrical rate to customers in order to
invest and prepare the network and the distributors for it, it'll
allow us to recover technical losses caused by the harmonics
current inserted by nonlinear loads. And also we'll show you a
proposal and a study case where a modification of the
electrical rate structure is explained, so the costumer that
inserts harmonics currents to the distribution system will be
charged with a monthly payment equal to the economical
impact that such currents have on our system, with emphasis
in the transformation stage. This involves the substitution
from the traditional demand charge to harmonics demand
charge, it based on the proposed method [ 5 ] .
11. ECONOMICAL IMPACT CAUSED BY
HARMONICS CURRENTS
From 30 different measurement within the ENELVEN
system, it was found that the voltage harmonics distortion,
only the 13% from the sample exceed the limits established
by the IEEE 519-92 [l]. So we realized that high levels of
harmonic voltage distortion represent high impedances at the
distribution network, that this parameter is a responsibility
fiom the electric utility [8]. Therefore, it is important to
maintain this impedance levels as lower as possible, to a
reasonable economic and technical point. Now checking
current harmonics distortion, we found that the 43% from the
sample exceed the limits established by the 519-92 [l],
parameter that is costumer's responsibility.
This harmonics current generator type of load, causes
losses on the elements on the electrical network, mainly on
lines and transformers. From these elements, the transformers
represent the equipments where they produce the most
important losses from the power system.
An energy (kwh) losses estimation can be calculated fiom
the method used to estimate the transformers capacity, when
supply non sinusoidal loads ANSI/ IEEE C57.110-1998 [7].
Such losses represented a 14,04% fiom the total load. That if
we calculate this in term of money, we're talking about
US$258.218,00 of technical loss cause by harmonics current
on the evaluated sample [6].
- 532 - The evaluated sample represent customer's loads, that they
are harmonics current generator, which causes losses on the
elements at the electrical network, lines and transformers. the
transformers produce the most important losses in the power
systems, due to it higher impedance.
Actually, transformation level losses cannot be adjusted by
the meters, cause the majority of today meters are not capable
to get voltage and current waves at the fkequency spectra,
and, they are not programmed to quantify such type of
losses.
In terms of money the losses that harmonics currents cause,
we've taken the cost of kwh according to the electrical rate
applicable to each point, which represents a low estimate,
since a current at 60 Hz doesn't produce the same losses that
at 180 Hz (3 harmonic) or 300 Hz (5 harmonic) etc, those
kwh at multiples currents produce higher losses than the
fundamental (60Hz), due they're proportional to the square of
the frequency. To realize an adequate estimate is necessary
the elaboration of a study, which specify the cost of the kwh at
different frequencies. That will be done in the near future in
our company.
111. ALTERNATIVE CHARGES TO CUSTOMERS
HARMONICS CURRENTS CONTAMIZATION
A. Energy Quality Regulation.
Actuality, just in South America is known the application
of an altemative of penalty for currents harmonic contents,
which is applied in Argentina. This resolution has an
inconvenience, it offers high limits in both current and voltage
harmonics distortion, additionally, the costumer it only
granted a period of 6 months to resolve the problem, during
this period the costumer has a penalty and if he doesn't solve
this problem within this period, the Distributor can disconnect
it fron the network. That's not possible in our country.
B. Power Factor Method.
This is a very good initial altemative to recover in some
way the technical losses by harmonics current at the
transformers which was explained by Alexander McEachem
and W. Mack Grady [ 5 ] . It is based on power factor. It is
considered a form of pondering in such a way that the currents
on each frequency are incremented in function of the
transformer impedance and as higher the frequency higher
will be the given factor. This comes from the fact that at
higher frequency higher the losses, proportion to the square of
the frequency.
K, = [1+ x(N2- l)]
where, EH: RMS voltage of the common point.
IH: RMS current at the common point.
N: frequency.
X: transformer impedance.
This procedure comes from the measurement of the electric
power, where the demand in volts-amperes is adjusted in such
manner that it will reflect the economic effect opposite to the
harmonics current. This technique use the acquisition of the
frequency spectra from the current an voltage waveforms at
the PCC (point common coupling).
The inconvenient to apply this method is that, not all of the
countries have the power factor regulation. Another problem
is to quantify in terms of money, when the power factor is
under the regulation. besides, it is not taken in account the
size of the load. Other inconvenient is, that this altemative do
not take changes in the impedance of the system, considering
it fix.
C.Proposed Harmonics Volt-AmperesAdjusted Method.
This proposal comes from the original equations of
Alexander McEachem and W.Mack Grady [5] and take into
account the impendance of the system proposed by Wilsun
Xu and Yilu Liu[ 81.
In Venezuela is used the appearance power charge and
because of this, it only takes the procedure proposed in [SI up
to the point where it estimates EH * IH, which will be the
harmonics power adjusted.
Once you get volt-amperes at higher fi-equency fkom the
fundamentals, it proceeds to under the same rate structure
without making any modification to it.
Figure 1. Comparing both methods
This way is easy to implement due the meters right now are
capable to sample the voltage and current fi-equencies spectra
and other point is the calculation in terms of money is simple,
just take into account the "normal" electrical rate.
 IV. CASE STUDY
- 533 -
A.- Costumer’s Characteristics.

“Zulia 9” sub station, was chosen due to it feeds a very

important oil field in the region (a concession from Petroleum
de Venezuela-PDVSA to CHEVRON), that represent a high
demand from ENELVEN’s system. This substation is fed by
Legal
two 138 kV lines and distributes in 23,9 kV. It has two meter
transformers of 25/33/42 MVA, 138123.9kV which feed 12
distribution feeders, 10 of then are exclusive of the oil field
(fig 2)

ION8500
meter
Zuu4 9
-
,

Figure 2. S E Zulia 9.
The oil field load comes from flow stations and oil
extraction wells devices with high percentage from
electrosumergible pumps. This type of equipment is a AC-AC
frequency static controlled device. In Venezuela the oil
industry uses this technology because of it good performance,
representing the six pulse power converter, the most used
which has a typical value of 40% current harmonics
distortion from the fundamental.
Figure 3. Implementation.
During the metering period, we obtained an average of
4407kVA between the Harmonics Adjusted Demand and the
traditional demand charge at 60 Hz.Applying the actual rate
of US%/kVA6.00 this costumer would be paying an increase
on its monthly payment of US$26600.
On fig 4, you can see a registration of the kVA to 60 Hz
and the adjusted by harmonic current, where it can be
appreciated by the constant client’s demand.

B.- Implementation.
4aml~
The test consisted in programming an electronic meter 35poo ................................. -- ..--
(ION 8500-PML) using the equations from Alexander 3am-..--cu--.- I - . - -- . . .
B(100..................................................
McEachem[S] and the equations presented by Wilsun Xu and
”..................................................
Yilu Liu [SI. It is important to emphasize that this meter is
15 om ..................................................
new in the market and it has the capacity to obtain the
10mo ..................................................
current and voltage harmonic spectra, with enough memory to
perform the required mathematic operation. Such meter was
s(100 ........ ..~. ...................
0 , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
installed in parallel to the legal meter (fig. 3).

Figure 4. Record from the Test at “Zulia 9” substation.

- 534 - V. CONCLUSIONS
It was demonstrated that the methodology is easy to
implant, once the meters are available and they’ll not require
an approval fiom the Venezuelan Electrical Power National
Commission, cause the calculation methodology is
technically supported and its application will only affect the
costumer that insert harmonics current into the system.
August0 Alfonso Abreu Morales.
Electrical Engineer at Rafael Urdaneta
University in 1.997. Right now works as
Planner Distribution Engineer at Energia
Electrica de Venezuela (ENELVEN).
E-mail: augustoabreu@cantv.net

Getting a new electrical rate structure, where the power Jose Thomas Claret Villalobos Bracho.
utility can get fiom the costumers a supply nonlinear loads Electrical Engineer at Zulia University in
revenue. 1.988. Right now works as a revenue
protection and power quality counselor at
VI. BIBLIOGRAPHICS REFERENCES Energia Electrica de Venezuela
(ENELVEN).
[ 11 IEEE Std. 5 19-1992, “IEEE Recommended Practices E-mail: jose-Villalobos@cantv.net
and Requirements for Harmonics Control in Electrical
Power Systems”, Published by IEEE 1.992.

[2] IEC 1000-3-6, “Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)”

[3] Marco Regulatorio de Calidad de Servicio de Argentina

“Base Metodologica para el Control de Emision de
Perturbaciones del Product0 Tecnico”, Resolucion
ENRE N” 99.

[4] W. M. Grady, Robert J. Gilleskie, “Harmonic and now

they Relate Power Factor”. PQA’93, San Diego C. A.,
Nov. 1.993.

[SI A. McEachern, W. M. Grady, W. A. Moncrief, G. T.

Heydt, M. Mcgranaghan, “Revenue and Harmonics: An
Evaluation of Some Proposed Rate Structures”, IEEE
Transaction on Power Delivery , Vol. 10, No. 1,
January 1995.

[6] A. Abreu, J. T. Villalobos, “Problemas de Calidad de

Potencia Fuente de Perdidas TBcnicas en 10s Sistemas
ENELVEN-ENELCO”, I Seminario Intemacional de
Reduccion de Perdidas de Electricidad y us0 Eficiente
de la Energia ElCctrica, CIER, Venezuela 1.999.

[7] ANSI/IEEE C57.1 10-1998, “American National IEEE

Recommended Practice for Establishing Transformer
Capability W h e n Suppliying Nonsinusoidal Load
Currents”.

[8] Wilsun Xu, Yilu Liu, “A Method for the Determine

Customer Harmonic Contributions for Incentive-Based
Harmonic Control Applications”, Panel on Harmonic
Measurements and Allocation, 1999 IEEE PES Summer
Meeting.