Working out how much Power a factory has in reserve..

Sorry 69,200KW/H !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Guest,

First you need to get your units straight. Your power consumption is 69,200 kW. Your energy consumption (what you get billed for) is measured in kWh.

That said, all you need to do is locate the main disconnect and see what the breakers are rated in amperes. Then multiply that by the incoming line voltage. Then multiply that by 3 (three phases usually). This will give you the maximum power that your plant is able to draw from the line. P=IV !

That's an over-simplification but will get you in the ballpark.

The very FIRST thing you need let us all know it how much capacity you have to begin with.

If you don't know what your factory's current available capacity is, it will depend on the kVA rating of the transformer(s) powering the factory (along with the feeder cables), the permissible volt drop that the various factory equipment can safely handle, etc.

Without this information (and more), we are left with trying to answer an impossible question, and none of us on CR4 are that good (not even Del).

At the very least you would need to supply us the kVA rating of the transformer(s) or overall kVA of the factory's supply, along with what the factory is actually making (ie- the type of equipment in it) for us to at least be able to give a basic and general answer.

I am repeating what has been already said above.

a) Your peak power consumption is 69KW /h

b) Power P = VI CosΦ

c) You can not calculate the overall consumption by the peak power, you must have en energy meter already installed in your In Station.

d) In electricity (unlike Petrol/ Gas etc) - you do not have a power in reerve (supply/ Generating Cos may have but as a consumer, you don't).

e) You take a connection of Certain KVA and if you consume it, well and good. If you under consume, the fixed rate remains, the other (Unit based rate) reduces. Over consume and an additional penalty is put.

f) Check your power factor and availability of Pf compensator.

g) Are your figures corerct ? 69 KW for a factory looks abnormally low.

Thanks all for your input..All I have on the info provided was KW/H. This was given to me at peak / average over time week /month..I'll go on a hunt for more info when I get back in and have a crack at it from your input ...I'll report back for you guys to check :-) Thanks v much.

You can get the rated capacity(kW) from the utility or refer the contract document or get from the rating of main breaker. kWh depends on how many hrs you use

There are two separate but related issues here:

1) How much can your power utility supply to you without upgrading their equipment.

2) How much, if they are already at maximum, can you use of that supply.

#1 depends on the size of the transformer as others have mentioned.

#2 depends on the size of your main service equipment.

For example: #1) You may have a utility transformer of 1500kVA. The utility may tall you that this is the largest transformer they are willing to install, so that becomes your limiting factor. If you use 400V in your factory, that will supply you with roughly a maximum of 2000A to your factory. #2) then dictates this as the maximum you can get, so if you already have a 2000A main service, you are done. If on the other hand you have a 600A service, you can buy new equipment (switchgear) and increase your capacity to 2000A.

Opposite example: You have a 2000A service and a 1500kVA transformer, but you want more. The utility can elect to install a larger transformer (or re-rate the one they have) and give you what you want. It will cost you of course. Then you STILL must address #2.

Possibility #3, albeit a long shot: You have a 600A main breaker on a 2000A switchboard fed by a 1500kVA transformer because some brilliant EE in the past was thinking ahead for this eventuality. In that unlikely scenario, all you need to do is replace the main breaker.

Can't you just call your utility and ask them? They should already know this.