Can kVA be considered equivalent to kW for household electric ranges and cooking units?

The correct answer recognizes that for household electric ranges and cooking units, kVA can indeed be considered equivalent to kW. This is primarily due to the fact that these appliances typically have a resistive load; they convert electrical energy directly into thermal energy without significant phase differences between current and voltage.

In most cases, especially with resistive heating elements found in cooking equipment, the power factor is nearly 1. This means that the apparent power (measured in kVA) and the real power (measured in kW) are nearly the same because virtually all of the power is being used effectively for heating. Therefore, it's reasonable to equate kVA with kW for these specific applications.

Different electrical devices have varying power factors, but for common household cooking appliances, the direct relationship is appropriate and simplifies calculations related to energy consumption and load calculations in residential settings.