Before you make this decision, step back and look at the bigger picture. Let’s say that your facility receives power from the electric utility at 2,300 volts. For lower voltages, the facility owns a transformer that reduces the incoming voltage to 460 volts. If you select a 460-volt motor because of its higher efficiency rating, you may not save energy overall. This is because the electricity for the 460-volt motor must come through the transformer, where it suffers additional losses. In this case, you may save more energy by installing a 2,300-volt motor. In new construction, this will also reduce the cost of your transformer.