Further explore the role of voltage quality in mediating consumer outcomes. Despite showing a positive impact on voltage quality in targeted project sites, line bifurcation investments did not ultimately lead to observable impacts on customers in terms of the costs associated with poor voltage, such as those resulting from damaged appliances and equipment. Although there are theorized benefits associated with improved voltage stability, it is unclear whether the voltage improvements were of sufficient magnitude to deliver measurable results for consumers — or whether a longer time horizon, with improvements in voltage sustained over time, may be necessary to observe such changes. Another possibility is that the modality by which voltage fluctuations impact customers is not reflected in terms of the number of hours of undervoltage, but via a different mechanism — such as the occurrence of voltage spikes (i.e., sudden large increases above nominal voltage, usually of very short duration). This could entail the need to consider alternate ways of measuring and understanding voltage quality, how it impacts different kinds of electricity customers, and how they insure themselves against damages from voltage fluctuations.
Based on the evaluation’s findings, MCC country teams should continue exploring the impact of poor voltage quality on consumers, supporting analysis of high-resolution (e.g. real-time) voltage data as allowable based on newer strategies for gathering such information. In addition, future analyses should investigate use of alternative metrics for voltage quality, considering the various ways in which unstable voltage may impact users of electricity, as well as working to better characterize the coping strategies adopted by different consumers. Finally, economic appraisals of future power infrastructure programs should be cautious about assumptions on the relative scale and magnitude of benefits associated with improvements in voltage quality until such relationships are better understood.