INTERACTIVE COMPUTATION AND DATA MANAGEMENT FOR POWER-SYSTEM STUDIES

An integrated computer package for power system analysis studies ('POWSYS') has, for some years, been available to engineers in the Electricity Supply Commission (South Africa). POWSYS offers a system design and ease of operation which minimizes the efforts required by power system engineers in using the computer. Its three main features are: a data base structure; a collection of power system analysis programs; and a command language through which the user controls the system by requesting data retrieval and programs execution. POWSYS package provides planning and operation engineers with the capability to interact directly, via a computer terminal, in the design and analysis of electrical networks. Using a simple command language the engineer has a direct conversational interaction with the computer. Through the terminal he can obtain, via the data base management system, the data describing a particular power system network.