WAM(s)! global views from its pioneers [From the Editor

Abstract

H 4 ieee power & energy magazine september/october 2008 How prophetic it was! In 1977, Prof. Fred C. Schweppe of MIT was elected an IEEE Fellow ?for contributions to the application of state estimation, load forecasting and system dynamics to the control electric power systems.? His initial interest in power systems was motivated by what was, at that time, the biggest power failure in history, the Great Northeast Blackout of 9?10 November 1965. To learn about the industry, Fred spent a year in residence at American Electric Power Service Corp. (AEP ). His initial work involved the application of modern control theory to power system control and stability. Eventually his interests expanded into a broad array of power systems issues, including the development of analytical methods for optimizing power system operations and planning with emphasis on environmental constraints, and short- and long-term load demand modeling. Having had the privilege of working with Fred during the year he spent at AEP and subsequent contacts, I can readily understand him being regarded as an individualist, almost a renegade, with new and highly creative ideas, and someone who was determined to bring these ideas to fruition.