Power quality monitoring of a distribution system

The Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (NMPC) Research and Development Department sponsored a major power quality study of two distribution feeders in the Buffalo, New York region. All levels of these systems, from the substation bus to the customer service entrance, were instrumented with monitoring equipment. A variety of measurements, encompassing both transient and steady state system behavior, were performed. The use of multiple monitoring locations allowed NMPC to assess the origins and scope of various disturbances. The study generated a database which can serve as a guide for assessing relative power quality of the NMPC system. The study also formulated suggestions on areas which the industry (both the power industry and consumer products industry) might address in the future on the effect of standard utility operation towards consumer appliances