Disturbance-Driven Techno-Economic Evaluation of Power Quality Mitigation Strategies in Industrial Power Systems

Purpose – This study aims to develop a disturbance-driven techno-economic evaluation framework for power quality (PQ) mitigation planning in industrial power systems. The framework links PQ disturbance characteristics, process sensitivity, lifecycle cost, and financial performance indicators to support rational investment decisions. Design/methodology/approach – The study formulates the evaluation method within a risk-based lifecycle cost–benefit analysis model. Expected annual loss is calculated as a function of disturbance frequency, severity, and process-dependent economic consequences. The framework integrates event-based disturbances, such as voltage sags and short interruptions, with continuous disturbances, such as harmonic distortion. Mitigation technologies, including Uninterruptible Power Supplies, Dynamic Voltage Restorers, power conditioning systems, and hybrid solutions, are compared using payback period and net present value under consistent benchmark assumptions. Findings – The results show that voltage sags dominate the baseline economic exposure despite their short duration, accounting for the largest share of expected annual PQ-related losses. Targeted Dynamic Voltage Restorer deployment provides strong capital efficiency in sag-dominated conditions, while Uninterruptible Power Supplies are economically justified when restricted to continuity-critical loads. Hybrid mitigation achieves the highest long-term economic value in mixed-disturbance scenarios. Originality/value – This study provides a reusable techno-economic decision framework that directly connects measured PQ disturbance statistics with financial consequences and mitigation investment performance. The proposed approach supports facility managers, planners, and decision-makers in treating PQ mitigation as a capital allocation problem rather than a purely technical corrective action.