NETMAT - A KNOWLEDGE-BASED GRID SYSTEM-ANALYSIS TOOL

The increasing expansion of electric power systems renders the power s ystem operator's task increasingly complex. The integration into energ y management systems of further analytical algorithms implies that mov e data has to be analysed by the control engineer. For these reasons a nd many others, more sophisticated tools are required by power enginee rs to ease the pressure under which they perform their task. The adven t of knowledge-based systems has led to a new approach to the problem. The combination of expert systems and numerical algorithms can be adv antageously exploited to assist the power system engineer in operating the system. This paper presents the development of a knowledge-based tool for grid system analysis. The tool, NETMAT (NETwork Modelling Ass istanT), is to be used to analyse the impact of grid system maintenanc e and modification procedures and of new generating plants on power ut ilities, and in particular on their ability to generate and sell elect ricity. NETMAT consists of a number of numerical applications interfac ed to an expert system shell through specific problem domain knowledge bases. Results are presented based on the use of the IEEE-30 busbar n etwork as a test network.