ABSTRACT
One of a utility’s core responsibilities is to deliver voltage to customers within a suitable range, so utilities must regulate the voltage. Primary and secondary voltage drop can be allocated as necessary along the circuit to provide end users with suitable voltage. This chapter discusses voltage regulators and regulation standards and techniques. Most regulatory bodies and most utilities in America follow the ANSI voltage standards. This standard specifies acceptable operational ranges at two locations on electric power systems: service voltage; and utilization voltage. The standard gives common nameplate voltage ratings of equipment as well as information on what nominal system voltages the equipment is applicable to. Regulators have “drag hands”—markers on the tap position indicator that show the maximum and minimum tap positions since the drag hands were last reset. The drag hands are good indicators of voltage problems. Line-drop compensation transformer and regulator controls can be augmented with line-drop compensation.
