Current quality: assessment and standardization aspects

Power quality issues concern absolutely all spheres of human activity, from household to economy and transportation. Standardization, monitoring, management, and coordination to ensure electromagnetic compatibility in the power supply system are the subject of constantly ongoing research in most countries. In order to attract attention to issues of the harmonic current, this study focused on the harmonic current distortions observed on the level of urban electricity users. The paper considers the aspects of consolidating terminology and structure of power quality indicators. We carefully reviewed the current and voltage waveform distortions and related harmonic components. We also summed up the power quality indicators currently used around the world as a flowchart. Based on the results of measurements of quality indicators at the existing urban infrastructure facilities, a comparative analysis with the IEEE 519-2014 standard requirements was performed. As a result of the field measurements analysis, an unsatisfactory situation in terms of harmonic current distortions was revealed; the most probable causes and consequences of poor current quality are described.