Re: Utility Billing KWH/ Measures in KVA but bills in kWh

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"clydebeer" <u44204@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message news:859f0dc999f71@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> How does the utility determine the Kilowatts for the kwh energy charge,
if
> the standard meter measures KVA. Would 100 KVA for one hour record 100 
> kWh?
> Does a meter have a built in pf correction factor?
>
> Thanks/Clyde
>
You will have either a kWh meter + a peak KVA demand meter, or the two
will 
be combined in a single instrument which will read both the actual kWh
used 
(as in a standard watthour meter) as well as the peak KVA during the
billing 
period. The peak reading part will have a lag (typically 15-30 minutes) to

reach the actual value) so that it doesn't respond to short term peaks
such 
as motor starting which have little effect on equipment ratings. Older KVA

meters simply had a pointer (with thermal lag) which pushed another
pointer 
leaving it at the peak position to be reset by the meter reader). The
meter 
does not need to read power factor.

Example: 2400kWh/day

a) constant load of 100kW at unity pf --- supply rated at 100kVA capacity
b)same load, power factor 0.6  or net 166kVA  supply needs to be 66%
larger
c)same load, unity pf but concentrated for 8 hour of the day. 300kW
=300kVA 
supply required

The energy charge as read by the kWh part of the meter is the same in all 
cases but there is an additional charge based on the peak demand kVA 
reflecting the cost of the supply equipment.

Your bill "should" indicate both the energy charge and the demand charge
as 
separate components as this is useful information.  It may bias the energy

charge by some demand factor which is less useful.
-- 

Don Kelly dhky@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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