"PQA_MG_KEDU25"

"The current global initiatives for rural electrification have promoted the application of renewable energy-based minigrids. These minigrids are highly influenced by weather dynamics, which impacts power quality and service delivery. Maintaining a high-quality power supply enhances the security and sustainability of the power system. This study provides an in-depth analysis of power quality in autonomous minigrids, with a critical focus on evaluating key power quality attributes, including power factor, harmonic distortion, frequency stability, voltage stability, dips, swells, and interruptions. The study was carried out on eleven selected autonomous minigrids in different remote parts of Kenya. Questionnaires were used to collect data at all eleven visited sites. Minigrid data logging was performed at six of the eleven selected sites using a power quality analyzer (Fluke 1777) for one week at each site. Local and international power quality standards were used to collect and evaluate data. Novel fuzzy power quality indices were applied to compare the overall performance of individual minigrids. The study recorded the highest average power factor at Ndeda Island (0.89) and very poor average power factors at Illauti (0.61) and Remba Island (0.51). The frequency variation records of Locheromoit (0.52), Ndeda (0.59), and Remba (1.2) were outside the EN50160:2010 and IEEE519-2022 thresholds. Substantial interruptions were observed at Hadado (1.2 hrs\/week) and Illaut (2.59 hrs\/week). The Wasini minigrid recorded the highest total power quality index (0.94) of all the sites. These results demonstrate the critical role of power quality indices in identifying serious power quality issues prevalent in minigrids."