Power distribution practices in USA and Europe: impact on power quality

Design practices for electric power distribution systems in USA and Europe are compared and the differences are identified. The differences have a profound impact on several aspects such as safety, protection and power quality. This paper concentrates on the impact of the European and USA practice on power quality. The paper reviews the design practices in the USA and in Europe in terms of: use of neutrals, grounding, load connectivity, fault protection, and overvoltage protection. The differences are discussed. Then the paper focuses on the implications of these differences on power quality issues. Commentary on the following issues is given: harmonic propagation, lightning disturbance propagation including associated voltage sags and swells, and safety