Why load factor matters
Demand charges and thermal stress are driven by peaks. Improving load profile can outperform equipment-only upgrades.
- Track 15-minute demand windows to find controllable peaks.
- Shift noncritical process loads where tariff allows.
- Coordinate motor starts to avoid stacking inrush events.
Power factor correction strategy
Capacitor banks improve apparent power utilization, but tuning and harmonic context determine safe deployment.
- Measure baseline PF at feeder and major load centers.
- Avoid overcorrection at light load conditions.
- Use detuned reactors where harmonic distortion is significant.
Loss reduction roadmap
Losses scale with current squared, so reducing current through PF and balancing directly lowers thermal and voltage-drop penalties.
- Balance three-phase loads at distribution panels.
- Maintain cable terminations to prevent contact resistance growth.
- Use monitoring to verify savings after commissioning.