The power quality challenge for a utility

Having more than 2 million customers, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited is the largest power utility in Hong Kong and has been providing reliable electricity supply to the customers for over a hundred years. Power quality (PQ) is not a new topic of concern as it is as old as the power system itself. However, power quality issues have become a controversial topic since modern electronic equipment and computer-controlled systems are, on the one hand, very sensitive to voltage dip, but on the other hand, generate excessive harmonics into the power network (1). In Hong Kong, the PQ problem mainly consists of two types, viz voltage dips and harmonics. The PQ challenge to a power utility is both technical and strategic. This paper describes the strategy formulated to meet this PQ challenge. Whilst the PQ issue can be tackled from both the utility side and the customer side, this paper focuses on the latter aspect. Two successful cases, one on equipment voltage dip ride-through capability improvement and the other on harmonics mitigation, are presented.