[time-nuts] Loran C sounds

[Lux, Jim (337C)]

On 2/14/10 12:54 PM, "J. Forster" <jfor at quik.com> wrote:

> Power companies charge for KVAs, NOT KVARs.
> 
> -John
> 
> =================
> 
> 
> 
>> Take a look at the poor (but commonly low) power factor.
>> Much more volt-amps are being delivered than used to do effective work
>> as kilowatts.
>> 
>> Power factor correction would be a money saver if saving money were an
>> objective.
>> 

PF = 0.75 isn't horrible but not great.  The apparent power is 33% more than
the actual power. That's what lots of places with older motors and
conventional fluorescent ballasts probably run.

The electric company (at least here in southern california) doesn't charge
for KVA or KVAR, per se.  What they do is charge for kWhr, plus a penalty
for poor PF, but the penalty isn't proportional to the VARs. It's more of a
step function, based on the peak reactive load. (measured in some fairly
small time increment)



For instance, on Southern California Edison tariff RTP-3 Large Realtime
pricing
  For service delivered and metered at voltages greater than 50kV,
including Cogeneration and Small Power Production Customers, the billing
will be increased by $0.18 per kilovar of maximum reactive
demand imposed on the Company. (you get a 10%+ discount for getting your
power at 50kV and above)

For service delivered and metered at voltages of 50kV or less, including
Cogeneration and Small Power Production Customers, the billing will be
increased by $0.23 per kilovar of maximum reactive demand imposed on
the Company.