Improving UK power quality with arc suppression coils

In the period since privatisation, power quality has assumed an ever-greater importance in UK electric utility thinking. Two forces are driving this change. The first is from the official regulatory side, where the need for a quantitative measure of performance is seen as essential in assessing the competitiveness of the distribution companies. The second is more general, and stems from the significant changes in the way electricity is now used, and the effect that has had on the user´s perception of supply quality. No longer does electricity usage major on just heating and lighting, but now powers computers and many other digital consumer products across the UK. This paper describes how adding an arc suppression coil (ASC) to an existing UK primary distribution substation can significantly reduce customer supply interruptions. Because of the lengths of overhead lines involved, and their frequent exposure to lightning, the UK focus for ASC applications is presently on rural systems