Power factor penalties from DISCOMs are silently draining profits from thousands of industrial plants across India. APFC panels offer a payback period of just 12-18 months.
Power factor (PF) is the ratio of real power (kW) to apparent power (kVA). A PF below 0.85 typically triggers penalty surcharges from DISCOMs ranging from 1-3% per unit consumed. For a 2MW plant, this can mean ₹3-9 lakhs in monthly penalties.
The panel continuously monitors PF using a microprocessor-based controller (EPCOS/Neptune/L&T). When PF drops below the setpoint (typically 0.98), capacitor stages are automatically switched in. Detuned reactors protect capacitors from harmonics in VFD-heavy plants.
The reactive power compensation (kVAR) required depends on your plant load profile. We offer capacitor banks up to 1500 kVAR. A detailed load survey is essential before sizing. Always include detuned reactors if your plant has VFDs, UPS, or other non-linear loads.
A 500 kVAR APFC panel typically costs ₹4-6 lakhs installed. For a plant paying ₹3 lakhs/month in PF penalties, the payback period is just 1.5-2 months — one of the best returns on any electrical investment.
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