Eli5 – what is MVAR (Reactive Power)

Question

Why do we need it / measure it ?

Thanks

In: 1

Answer 1

Thanks guys super helpful, surely unplanned wind / solar just adds to the congestion? Or is the grid dynamically moving to minimise the loss (assumed to be turned into heat somewhere) I haven’t noticed heat sinks in substations, so do the congested transmission wires just get warm ? – thanks