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 Abstract— IEEE and IEC both have significant standards

development activities in the Power Quality area. There is

currently an effort to coordinate these standards so that

manufacturers, end-users, and utilities have consistent standards

for equipment and system performance around the world. The

CCU2 Working Group provides technical input for many power

quality standards efforts in IEC and much of this information is

coordinated closely with IEEE efforts. This paper describes some

of the major power quality standards and the efforts to

coordinate these standards.

 Index Terms — Power quality, standards, harmonics, flicker,

voltage unbalance, voltage sags, transients.

I. INTRODUCTION 

ower quality standards are developed in both IEEE and

IEC. The IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee on

Power Quality (SCC22) tracks the development of power

quality standards and has created a master plan to direct

standards development efforts in needed areas. In addition

SCC22 has a focus on continuing efforts to coordinate

international power quality standards to provide consistent

requirements and evaluation methods around the world. The

CCU2 Working Group is a group of power quality experts

that provides technical input for a wide range of standards

development activities. This paper examines existing IEEE

and IEC standards and describes the need for ongoing

development.

II. POWER QUALITY STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT

ORGANIZATIONS

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is

the main organization responsible for power quality standards

development in the international community. IEC standards

are often adopted by individual countries as actual

performance requirements. IEEE also has a number of 

important standards development activities in the power

quality area and is actively coordinating with the IEC

Working Groups that are primarily responsible for power

quality standards.

The IEC has defined a category of standards called

E. Gunther is President of Enernex, Knoxville, TN (e-mail:

erich@enernex.com).

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Standards that deal

with power quality issues. They fall into the following six

categories:

1. General. These provide definitions, terminology,

etc. (IEC 61000-1-x).

2. Environment. Characteristics of the environment

where equipment will be applied (61000-2-x).

3. Limits. Emission limits define the allowable

levels of disturbances that can be caused by

equipment connected to the power system. Thesestandards were formerly the IEC 555 series but

now are numbered 61000-3-x. For instance, IEC

555-2 has now become IEC 61000-3-2.

4. Testing and Measurement Techniques. These

provide detailed guidelines for measurement

equipment and test procedures to assure

compliance with the other parts of the standards

(61000-4-x).

5. Installation and Mitigation Guidelines. These

are designed to provide guidance in application of 

equipment, such as filters, power conditioning

equipment, surge suppressors, etc., to solve power

quality problems (61000-5-x).6. Generic and Product Standards. These will

define immunity levels required for equipment in

general categories or for specific types of 

equipment (61000-6-x).

The following working groups of IEC SC77A are actively

developing these standards:

♦ Working Group 1 – Harmonics and other Low

frequency Disturbances. Focus on limits and methods

of measurement for harmonics and interharmonics.

♦ Working Group 2 – Voltage Fluctuations (flicker) and

other Low Frequency Disturbances. Develops limits

for voltage fluctuations caused by end user equipment

and methods of measurement as appropriate. This

working group will be working on an update to the

document on reference impedances that can be used for

evaluating the impact of equipment on the system.

♦ Working Group 6 – Low Frequency Immunity Tests.

Develops testing procedures for evaluating equipment

immunity from power quality variations.

♦ Working Group 8 – Electromagnetic Interference

Related to the Network Frequency. This group is

Coordination with CIGRE and CIRED PQ

Standards Efforts (CCU2)E. Gunther, Senior Member, IEEE  

P

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addressing the full range of power quality phenomena

on the network and the interaction issues with

consumers.

♦ Working Group 9 – Power Quality Measurement

Methods. Currently developing IEC 61000-4-30, an

overall guide defining the requirements for power

quality monitoring equipment.

The CCU2 working group has been organized to providetechnical input for a variety of these different standards with

broad international cooperation.

In the United States, standards are developed by the IEEE,

ANSI, and equipment manufacturer organizations, such as

NEMA. There are also safety-related standards, like the

National Electrical Code. IEEE standards generally do not

specify requirements for equipment. These standards tend to

be more application oriented, like IEEE Standard 519-1992,

which provides recommendations to limit harmonic distortion

levels on the overall power system.

The Power Quality Standards Coordinating Committee,

SCC22 was created in 1991 as a coordinating body for power

quality standards in IEEE . Historically this committee met at

both Power Engineering Society meetings and the Industry

Application Society Annual Meeting to help coordinate the

standards activities under way in each of these societies. In

addition, SCC22 sponsored standards efforts when no Society

Committee sponsor was available. Recently, a Power Quality

Subcommittee was created under the Transmission and

Distribution Committee of the Power Engineering Society to

sponsor individual working groups and task forces that are

developing standards related to transmission and distribution.

Reporting for several of the SCC22 sponsored standards

Working Groups was transferred to this new Subcommittee.

This new subcommittee coordinates closely with SCC22.SCC22 membership is composed of persons actively involved

in Power Quality standards development and represents a

variety of industry segments.

Similarly, the IEEE Industry Applications Society has

started a Power Quality Subcommittee to coordinate power

quality issues for industrial facilities. SCC22 meets at both

Power Engineering Society meetings and Industry Application

Society meetings to help facilitate coordination between these

groups.