Quick question on Duke Energy Carolinas Schedule LGS. What's the power factor penalty threshold? I'm seeing different numbers in different tariff versions.
Member Community
Enter your email to read this discussion
You're reading the AAUBA Member Forum — where Certified Utility Bill Auditors share case studies, tariff strategies, and industry insights.
Free to read. Enter your email to continue.
No spam. We'll send you one welcome email about CUBA certification. Unsubscribe any time.
Duke Energy Carolinas PF penalty threshold
It's 95% for LGS customers. Penalty is $0.60 per kVAR for each kVAR of reactive demand in excess of that required for 95% power factor. Make sure you're looking at the North Carolina tariff, not South Carolina.
Perfect, that matches what I'm seeing on the bills. Client is running 88-91% PF consistently. Big textile plant in Raleigh.
Textile plants are notorious for poor power factor. All those motor loads. Capacitor correction usually pays for itself in 6-9 months on textile accounts.
That's what I'm finding. $3,200/month in penalties, correction equipment quoted at $22K. No-brainer recommendation.
Make sure the client understands capacitor maintenance requirements. I've seen systems fail within 2 years due to neglect, and then penalties come right back.