Apparent power

Active, reactive, apparent, and complex power in sinusoidal steady-state

Apparent power is the product of the RMS values of voltage and current. Apparent power is taken into account when designing and operating power systems, because although the current associated with reactive power does no work at the load, it still must be supplied by the power source. Conductors, transformers and generators must be sized to carry the total current, not just the current that does useful work. Insufficient reactive power can depress voltage levels on an electrical grid and, under certain operating conditions, collapse the network (a blackout). Another consequence is that adding the apparent power for two loads will not accurately give the total power unless they have the same phase difference between current and voltage (the same power factor).