Apparent Power
Apparent power is the total power delivered to a circuit, combining both active and reactive power, measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA).
Definition
Apparent power represents the total power supplied to a circuit — the vector combination of active and reactive power — measured in kilovolt-amperes (kVA). It's used for sizing electrical infrastructure like transformers and cabling, which must accommodate the full apparent power draw, not just the useful active power.
Why It Matters
Apparent power is mainly relevant to electrical infrastructure sizing and utility capacity charges rather than day-to-day consumption monitoring.