stevenal,
The point is, just because they have synchronous machines and are not using them to correct power factor dosen't necessarily mean that their bill is higher as a result. I have a client in Southern California with 5 synchronous machines in his plant. I just built new solid state starters for them with new solid state exciter packs, and offered them automatic PF correction capability for about a $250.00 adder. They declined. Why? Because the utility, Southern California Edison, does not penalize them for poor power factor! I tried to make the argument that correcting their PF was going to increase the efficiency of the transmission equipment, but when I investigated it I found that 90% of their load was resistive (electric melting furnaces) so I couldn't prove that either. It turns out that the only reason these motors were synchronous was that they were installed years ago as part of a larger facility who DID need PF carrection, but it was split up when the paernt company went under. These folks bought the partial plant that included these compressors, but did not want to relace the motors since they worked.
Subvert the dominant paradigm... Think first, then act!