Between security analysis and power system restoration

Abstract

What happens between the time a system operator runs security analysis and the system needs to be restored. Obviously this is the time of chaos when security measures have not been sufficient, or some overwhelming event occurs and the power system blacks out. This is the period of time, which most operations systems today are not prepared for. The power system is coming down around the operator and there is little he or she can do about it, in fact the operator is usually at a complete loss to know what is happening because events take place so fast. Power systems operations computers have been designed to act as little more than fast digital recorders of alarms off the SCADA system so that events can be analyzed after the fact - but little has been done to provide operators with fast graphical summaries that quickly digest the situation and allow decisions to be made during the collapse. Many years ago the idea of an intelligent alarm processor (IAP) was developed and marketed but little has been done since and the maintenance of the IAP's knowledge base was always considered one of its drawbacks. New ideas on the use of smart alarm processors coupled with fast graphical presentations must be developed so operators can retain control when the system is experiencing problems.