Experience Using Planning Software to Solve Real-Time Systems

This paper describes a software tool that supports analysis and simulation of both planning and real-time systems using a single model and software environment. This has been a challenge to the power industry for decades, because during the seventies, distinct models, formats, and applications were assumed by planners and real-time operation due to technological and security reasons. This division continues to be a major limitation for business process integration, software innovation, and deployment of new power system algorithms in the industry. We conceptually describe an architecture based on a novel topology processing method that enables power system planning software to precisely model real-time systems and be used in real-time operations. Experience gained by testing this algorithm on large-scale ISO models with several key power system applications is detailed.