Power Systems Operation and Control

Research activity is centred upon extensive computer facilities for analysing and simulating the dynamic behaviour, operation, control and monitoring of power systems and smart grids, within a control room environment which can be configured to reflect either current or future planned operational procedures. Considerable use is made of artificial intelligence techniques for condition monitoring, network planning and optimised operation.

Research topics include continuing studies on state estimation/bad data analysis, load flow analysis, load-frequency control, economic allocation of generation, unit scheduling arid integrating these and other studies within an overall strategy for control and energy management. Aspects of pricing and tariffs are also being investigated. Particular attention has been paid to the man-machine interfacing requirements for operating large modern interconnected power systems via computer terminals, and systems are under development for new and efficient ways of displaying topological and dynamic network data.