18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution

CIRED

Turin, 6-9 June 2005

THE COST OF HARMONIC LOSSES AND MITIGATIONS IN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Mohamed Ashour
Kamelia Youssef
Alexandria Electricity Distribution Company
Email:fpis@globalnet.com.eg

Salah El Sobki
Cairo University-Egypt

INTRODUCTION
The increasingly high concentration of modern electronic
devices can be a major headache for the power industry. It
has greatly increased the flow of harmonic currents on
distribution systems and has given rise to a host of related
problems.
The harmonic limits have to be assigned on the basis of
harmonic effects, which differ substantially depending on
the characteristics of the affected devices. There are longterm effects such as the component aging which is the
accumulated result of harmonic levels over time, and
instantaneous effects such as the maloperation of modern
electronic devices caused by only one short burst of high
harmonic level.
Harmonic distortions cause significant cost in supply
networks as well as at end-user levels.
Estimated harmonic costs consist of costs related to power
survey: harmonic energy losses, premature aging of
electrical equipment and derating of equipment.
The actual spenditure on harmonic mitigations are
derating. Filters, lowering the impedance for zero sequence,
phase shift, or moving the load to a dedicated feeder.
This paper uses published equations by Emanuel
A.E.(IEEE) to estimate the harmonic losses for electrical
equipment . The integrated harmonic losses software to
build up the total harmonic losses is carried out.
The paper presents:
Harmonic survey, power and energy
losses for case studies which evaluate the
harmonic costs.
Evaluated costs of harmonic mitigations.
The benefit /cost ratio for polluted
customers.

BACKGROUND
The increasing penetration of electronic based Loads is
creating a growing concern for harmonic and poor power
factor (PF) in the power supply system. Then, power quality
is a major issue for supply side and end users, and both are
very adopting the philosophy and the standard limits.AEDC
regulation imposes a penalty upon low power factor which
forces the customer to improve it. To eliminate or absorb
harmonic distortion and improve power factor the use of
suitable mitigation is used. As a result, harmonic mitigation
equipment is becoming more important for utilities and endusers.

CIRED2005
Session No 2

HARMONIC SURVEY AND HARMONIC

LOSSES
The measurement program was based on the use of energy
and harmonic analyzers, at low voltage side of distribution
transformers. These are feeding customer plants. The
instruments were performed in order to obtain information
concerning: voltage, current, PF, power and harmonics. To
calculate the harmonic losses in distribution grid customer
plants, ten case studies are selected, as sample, TABLE1
gives parameters for these cases.
The normal sinusoidal power losses for transformers (PNT),
motors (PNM) and capacitors (PNCa) are calculated of case
studies and summarized in TABLE 2.
This paper uses published equations by Emanuel A.E (IEEE)
[1] to estimate the harmonic losses for electrical equipment.
The equations are used to build up the software program to
calculate the harmonic losses, at maximum load and at
maximum THDI%, as shown in Fig (1).
The total energy losses for 10 case studies vary between 9.8
and 54.7 MWH/year.
TABLE 1_ Some Parameters for 10 case studies
Case
Study

(1)

KVA

PF

(2)

1
1000
0.8
2
1000
0.67
3
1000
0.58
4
1000
0.7
5
1000
0.72
6
800
0.69
7
800
0.6
8
500
0.6
9
500
0.64
10
300
0.45
(1) Transformer rating.
(2) Annual power factor.

Max.
Load
(Amp)

Max.
THDI%

Total
Motor
(HP)

392
406
545
410
373
207
160
358
387
200

41.0
12.88
11.7
6.15
27.13
10.14
3.48
15.65
9
8.9

650
612
1286
595.4
207.6
303.4
130
381.5
180
515.5

TABLE 2_ Nominal sinusoidal Power Losses

Case
Nominal power losses (watt)
study
PNT
PNM
PNCa
1
10672
48490
37.5
2
10672
45652
162.5
3
10672
95935
4
10672
44416
5
10672
15489
6
8715
22634
7
10672
15489
8
6160
28460
9
6160
28460
10
4391
38456
-

Total
length
of cable
(Km)
0.4
0.45
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.45
0.4
0.25
0.2
0.2

18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution

TABLE 3_ Requirement features for mitigation methods

Feature
a

Reduces neutral current

Reduces neutral to ground voltage

Safeguards neutral conductors

Reduces peak phase current

Reduces average phase current

Improves phase current balance

Improves phase voltage balance

Improves power factor

Improves system protection

Reduces system losses

Reduces system capacity

Reduces THD

Harmonic overload capacity

Electrical
parameters
system
Harmonics
Transformer
Cost

a
:
c
d
:
h
i,j
k
l
m
N
o

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

slight

may be

slight

slight
may be

may be

slight
may be

1- K-Rated transformer
2- Derated transformer

3- Doubling the neutrals

4- Harmonic Filter.

TABLE 5_ Pricing for 440:480 V &3-phase harmonic mitigation

Mitigation

Rating
50 Arms (42 KVAR)
100 Arms (83 KVAR)

Cost
$200:300 per
Amp.(rms)

300 Arms(250 KVAR)

Up to 750 KVA

$ 220/KVA

100 KVAR

Detuned
$40/KVAR
Tuned
$120/KVAR

50KVAR

$15/KVAR

TABLE 6_ Pricing for mitigation (in$)

Case
study
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Pricing for mitigation

Active
filter

K-rated

20000
50000
40000
30000
-

176000
-

Passive filter
d e t u n e d tuned
4000
12000
10000
30000
8000
24000
6000
18000
-

Capacitor

KVAR
required

750
3750
1500
3000
3750
750

100
250
50
250
200
150
100
200
250
50

Transforme
r

ESTIMATION OF HARMONIC COST:

n Reduces transformer overload

Cost

Harmonic
system

Electrical
Parameters

Neutral

Item

Neutral

Active
Filter

There are a number of mitigation solutions available, some

better than others. Most of them are of the passive type:
transformer, tuned (or detuned) filters. More advanced
solutions include active filters which inject compensation
current onto the system to cancel out a major portion of the
Harmonic current. Selection of mitigation solutions depend
on requirement features as shown in TABLE 3, 4.
Harmonic filter directly corrects the harmonic problem
providing high quality power for modern electronic
machines.
The most practical way to correct the power factor without
causing problems is the use of capacitor bank provided by
harmonic inspection automatic relay in addition to
overvoltage protective relay.
The pricing for mitigation is based on publically available list
price information available at the time of the research. In the
future; these prices may fluctuate based on market forces. A
summary of costs given in TABLE 5.
For 10 case studies, the real-time measurement estimated the
value of reactive poor power factor. TABLE 6 represents the
pricing of mitigation for case studies.

Treatment
Item

K-Rated
transfor
mer

HARMONIC MITIGATION EQUIPMENT

TABLE 4_ Comparison of methods for resolving harmonic distortion

(according to TABLE3)

Passive
Filter

A computer program has been developed for grouping or

clustering all the customer plants in clusters around the
selected case studies (samples).The final result of the total
energy harmonic losses in Alexandria, due to distribution
grids for industrial plants, vary between 20 and 65 million
KWH/year.

Turin, 6-9 June 2005

Automatic
improvement power
factor

CIRED

o Cost effective solution

CIRED2005
Session No 2

The unit costs refer to distribution, transmission and

production costs adjusted for power plants, the KWH value of
which was estimated at $0.05.
The final result of the maximum harmonic losses costs in
Alexandria, due to distribution grids for industrial plants, is
3.25 million dollars/year.

18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution

CIRED

B/C Ratio
It is the ratio between discounted total benefits and mitigation
cost. The main purpose of Benefit Cost ratio (B/C) analysis is
to look at project performance over time.
All the solution alternative were compared using B/C
analysis alternative with B/C ratio greater than 1 are
economically viable, but less than 1 cannot be justified based
on economics. Obviously, the higher the B/C ratio, the better
the alternative economically.
The benefit is summation of operating cost, aging cost and PF
penalty.
The operating costs (CW) are the cost of only the incremental
energy losses caused by harmonic flow in each component.
Cw=harmonic energy cost*$/Kwh
The summation of the present worth expected values of Cw
taking place in each year n.
Cw=

CWn

(1 a)

n 1

Where "a" is present worth discount rate. As expected, under

non-linear loading, the transformer was led to higher
temperature rise and this is of major concern in considering
life expectancy .Distribution transformers are built with tight
insulation tolerance and are consequently subject to various
severe aging stresses. In organic insulation, the eventual
damage is due to a chemical reaction. This aging reaction
grows as temperature increases. Over a specific range, a rule
of thumb indicates reduction in life by 1/2with each
additional 10C in temperature rise.[4]
The aging costs are referred to the incremental investment
costs caused by premature aging of the component due to
harmonic distortion.
Of =final top oil rise of temperature.
(total harmonic losses ) 0.8
=
* ambient temp.
(total losses )
TABLE 7 summarizes the operating cost, aging cost, penalty
for poor power factor and benefit values for case studies.
(n=20 years &a=0.083).
TABLE 8 represents B/C ratio for case studies, and the
figures hatched represent the selected mitigation.
Then, for each case study, the mitigation is separate and
chosen according to the feature of mitigation.
TABLE7_ Benefit values for case studies (in $)
Operating
Aging
Case
Penalty
Cost
Cost
study
1(1)
120
2105
1500
2
119
4196
4260
3
41
1780
1620
4
6
276
2820
5
41
1788
3430
6
253
8050
755
7
2
153
1855
8
5
406
1320
9
2
196
1090
10
13
676
1620
(1)
Another customer shares in aging cost

CIRED2005
Session No 2

Turin, 6-9 June 2005

TABLE8_ B/C Ratio for case studies

Case
B/C Ratio
Study Active filter K-rated
Detuned
filter
1
0.186
0.93
2
0.172
0.86
3
4
5
0.132
0.657
6
0.302
0.052
1.51
7
8
9
10
-

Tuned
filter
0.31
0.29
0.219
0.503
-

Power
capacitor
4.588
0.828
1.34
0.577
0.344
3.078

CONCLUSION
Harmonic are probably more strongly associated with "power
quality" than any other disturbances.
Harmonics have increased significantly over the past two
decades due to increased use of non-linear loads. The
prospect of a rapid return to linear-load conditions will
remain a dream. Recent studies show that the consumption on
non linear load will sharply increase in the year to come.
There are a number of ways to deal with harmonics. In some
cases, it's best to simply treat the symptoms; such as doubling
the neutrals, k-rated transformer, redistribute or relocate
harmonic producing loads and zigzag transformer. Another
solution involves reducing the level of harmonics produced
by equipment; such as detuned filter, tuned filter and active
filter.
The results of this paper are:
B/C >1 means economically viable and
payback period < one year
B/C <1 means payback period > one year.
Detuned filter and power capacitor are
dominated mitigation solution to reduce
harmonics and to improve power factor.
They are economically viable for case
studies.
The energy harmonic losses in Alexandria,
due to distribution grids for industrial
plants are significant.
In general, global energy harmonic losses
do not match with B/C

REFERENCES
Benefit
3725
8575
3441
3105
5259
9058
2010
1731
1288
2309

[1] Emanuel A.E Yang M. Peleggi D.J.

"The engineering economics of power systems harmonics in
subdistribution feeders." A preliminary study.IEEE Trans.On
power system Vol.6, No.3, August 1991.
[2]Oury Ba, Rager Bergeron"Harmonic Costs on Distribution
Power System"ISSN 1234-6799 Electrical Power Quality
and Utilisation Vol.5 Number 2 1999
[3] William J.MCDONALD,
Energy Losses in Electrical Power System.IEEE Transaction
on industry applications,Vol.IA-21,No.4.May/June 1985
[4]http:/www.hitrancorp.com

18th International Conference on Electricity Distribution

CIRED

Turin, 6-9 June 2005

Input :
P NT, P NM, P Nca, h
V h, I h at Imax
V h, I h at THDI% max
L, rh, L sF
Transformer :
calculate :

Motor :
Calculate :

K h1 = (-0.78) + (3.853 x h 1/2 ) - (2.263 x h)

+ (0.1058 x h 1.5) + (0.2337 x h 2 )
(0.06478 x h

2.5 )

Pht P
(1 K

+ (0.0052535 x h

w)

3)

2
K w (hI h ) . K h1
2
1

h ( I h )

Ph . M =

Capacitor :
Calculate :

Cable :
calculate :

V
P1 PNm 35 1
V N

1
. V h 2
h 2 h

Ph .c L rh I h

h 1

P hm1 = P hm - P NM

P ht1 = P ht - P Nt
Where:
h =harmonic order
Ih =current of harmonic order h (in p.u)
P l =losses due to fundamental voltageV 1
V l =fundamental voltage
V h =voltage of harmonic order h (in p.u)
rh =resistance of cable to harmonic order h
Il =fundamental current value
K w= iron loss coefficient = 0.04
V N =nominal voltage
L =length of a cable
LsF=Loss Factor = 0.3

Total harmonic power losses

Ph = Pht1 + Phm1 + Phc + Phca

Total annual harmonic energy losses

Eh = LsF * 8760 * Ph
Harmonic energy costs
O utput report

Fig
Fig (1)
(1) The
The procedure
procedure scheme
scheme for
for harmonic
harmonic losses
losses and
and costs
costs estimation
estimation
CIRED2005
Session No 2

Ph. ca PNca h V h
h