Challenges of supplying electric power to a large industrial customer in rural areas

As the economy in rural areas changes, many local leaders are attracting new large industrial clients into the area. When a large industrial business does locate in a service area, the rural electric cooperative is faced with many issues: the impact of the new load on existing system infrastructures; the potential issue of power quality on its system; and its impact on its customers. This requires that, before a large industrial customer is added, careful studies are made regarding rates, interconnection guidelines, and protection issues. The new customer may require state-of-the-art relay devices and fast-track-type installations to meet startup demands. The complexity of the new systems and fast-track construction may require the cooperative to augment its staff with added expertise. This paper discusses these challenges of supplying electric power to a large industrial customer in rural areas.