Analysis of consumption characteristics in low voltage networks focused on reactive power

University of Zilina, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, 010 26 Zilina, Slovakia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 11 June 2026

Abstract

In recent years, a change has been observed in the direction of reactive power flow between transmission and distribution systems. This trend has been reported in several European countries, including Slovakia. The Slovak transmission network was originally designed for reactive power to flow from the transmission system toward the distribution system. However, due to the evolving characteristics of distribution networks, their behaviour has shifted from predominantly inductive to predominantly capacitive. As a result, reactive power now tends to flow in the reverse direction, from distribution networks to the transmission system, posing challenges for voltage control and system stability. One of the main factors of this transformation is the changing nature of consumer loads. The increasing use of modern devices has altered consumption characteristics from inductive to capacitive. These effects are most pronounced in low voltage networks, which consist of numerous consumers with diverse load profiles. Therefore, a detailed analysis of consumption behaviour in low voltage networks and its influence on higher voltage levels is essential. A deeper understanding of these interactions can support the development of appropriate technical measures to mitigate the adverse effects of reverse reactive power flow.