WITH QMeasure Technologies Pvt Ltd Bangalore
A leading copper manufacturing company in India faced utility penalties caused by exceeding its contract demand and maintaining a suboptimal power factor.
Under the state's utility tariff structure, falling below 0.95 PF disqualifies facilities from receiving incentives, while exceeding contracted demand triggers heavy excess demand surcharges.
Copper manufacturing relies on energy-intensive processes such as smelting, refining, rolling mills, and continuous casting. These operations involve large induction furnaces, heavy-duty motors, and electrolysis systems, all of which are highly reactive and generate fluctuating load profiles.
Without precise reactive power compensation, these conditions:
As part of the customer's project, QMeasure Technologies collaborated with PwC, one of India's leading energy consultancies. Both organizations independently carried out power quality assessments and engaged in detailed technical discussions to review the findings. Through this collaborative process, PwC and QMeasure Technologies reached a shared conclusion, with PwC endorsing QMeasure Technologies recommended 450kvar power quality solution on one of the plant's 2 MVA low-voltage transformers, confirming its technical and operational feasibility.
QMeasure AP 450KVAr System Installation
Power factor at billing point increased from 0.94 to 0.96IND
🔄 TRF-2MVA 415V ⚡ TRF-2.5MVA 415V
📊 Point of measurement for case study
This design provided the speed and precision needed to maintain a PF 0.99IND on a particular feeder & improve PF at PCC point above 0.95 at all times and eliminate demand surcharges & pass the criteria for PF incentive.
Before installation, QMeasure Technologies Class A analyzer with continuous waveform recording revealed frequent PF drops, sometimes to nearly 0.5 inductive, during load transitions and equipment start-ups. These events occurred even at light load, triggering penalties and lowering efficiency.
Post-installation analysis in PQSCADA Sapphire confirmed that the solution responded instantly to both sudden load changes and low-load periods, maintaining a stable PF 0.99 IND above the incentive threshold.
Prior to the solution installation, reactive power profile showed fluctuations, often exceeding 250kVAr, with rapid shifts during load changes. These spikes directly contributed to low power factor events and demand penalties.
QMeasure Technologies solution stabilized and precisely managed reactive power, using transient-free step switching to match compensation to load requirements. The system's transient-free thyristor switching allowed it to instantly adjust reactive power output, keeping it aligned with load requirements.
Before installation, the customer's current profile showed significant fluctuations, with load current fluctuated sharply between ~200A and over 600A, reflecting the plant's dynamic load profile and raising apparent power demand. QMeasure Technologies solution improved it significantly.
PF improved from 0.94 to 0.99 on the targeted 2MVA transformer, raising PCC PF to 0.969IND. All maximum demand surcharges removed. Monthly PF incentive of ₹37,711 (≈$450) now applies after raising PCC PF to 0.969IND.
Lower apparent power stress on the 2MVA transformer. Reduced overheating risk and longer equipment life.
Stable PF ≥ 0.96IND, even at low load. Full compliance with state regulations and tariff incentives.
After installing QMeasure Technologies power quality solution- RTPFC System, the customer achieved a significant operational and financial improvement. On the specific transformer where the system was installed, the power factor rose to 0.99, raising the overall PCC (Point of Common Coupling) power factor to 0.969 – above the 0.95 threshold required for incentives. This eliminated the monthly excess demand surcharge of ₹619,561 (≈$7,400) recorded in July 2024 and added a new monthly PF incentive of ₹37,711 (≈$450). As a result, the net payable amount dropped from ₹6.32M (≈$75,846) to ₹4.55M (≈$54,616).
*The contract demand in 2025 was raised from 1,810 kVA to 2,010 kVA to meet the plant's increased power requirements.
Future Expansion: Encouraged by these results, the customer has ordered a second QMeasure Technologies system for their remaining transformer. This next phase will further optimize power factor across the entire facility, enhance savings, and ensure long-term grid compliance and operational reliability of the copper manufacturing operations.