applications on different com- is already in place in PG&E. puters are based on standard The GUI links together Future installations of applica- TCP/IP technology.The SQL*net, tions are expected to take place ODBC,and NetDDE are used to real-time SCADA data, once the field testing is success- access databases.The software the distribution network fully completed. environment is based on Socket model,some electrical programming technology both on UNIX and Windows.For a facility information, Acknowledgment Many people from PG&E's manage communication network,we cur- and some spatial data ment at R&D and Distribution depart- rently use PG&E's existing ments as well as their staff engineers LAN/WAN backbone systems. have made major contributions in developing,testing,and integrating the The objective of the system inte- RADIAS system.The authors are high- gration has been to develop a flexible architecture so ly grateful for their valuable contributions. that each component can be enhanced in the future without any difficulty For Further Reading Future Directions A.Abur,D.Shirmohammadi,C.S.Cheng,"Estimation of Switch Sta- tuses for Radial Power Distribution Systems,"Proceedings of the The system was primarily developed for operations deci- 1995 IEEE Interational Symposium on Circuits and Systems. sion support and engineering analysis.However,as the X.F.Zhang.F.Soudi,D.Shirmohammadi.C.S.Cheng,"A Distribu- components of this system have started to become avail- tion Short Circuit Analysis Approach Using a Hybrid Compensation Method"(95 WM 221-2 PWRS),IEEE Transactions on Power .Systems, able,they are considered for other applications within Volume 10,Number 4,November 1995. PG&E.Some of these planned and actual applications C.S.Cheng and D.Shirmohammadi,"A Three-Phase Power Flow are: Method for Real-Time Distribution System Analysis"(94 SM 603-1 Use of the graphical user interface as a preliminary PWRS),IEEE Transactions on Power Systems,Volume 10,Number 2, May1995. computer mapping system for marketing studies H.W.Hong,C.F.Imparato,"Integrated Support Systems for Elec- specially in identifying critical and elastic cus- tric Utility Operations,"IEEE Computer Applications in Power,Janu- tomers ay1992, Use of the applications and their graphical presen- tations to detect and identify data errors in the Biographies existing facility databases Dariush Shirmohammadi is the principal consultant and founder Use of the RADIAS applications to study power of Shir Consultants,a power engineering consulting firm in San quality problems specially as related to voltage Ramon,California.He worked for PG&E between 1985 and 1995 where his last position was director of the Energy Systems sags due to faults in adjacent feeders. Automation Group.At this position,he was responsible for devel- While a small number of analytical tools are still oping and implementing distribution automation technologies.He under development and testing,the application of the also worked in Ontario Hydro (1982-85)and Hydro Quebec (1977- 79).Shirmohammadi received his PhD in electric power engineer- system for operation decision support and planning ing from the University of Toronto in 1982.He is a senior member analysis is quite promising.System integration among of the IEEE. the SCADA,analytical applications,and graphical user Edwin Liu is a senior automation engineer at PG&E and is interface has been completed.One field test installation responsible for several advanced projects in both analytical methodology and computer application development areas.He received his PhD in 1987 from the University of California at Berke- .DATA SOURCE ley in electrical engineering and computer sciences.Before joining SCADA Maste PG&E in 1991,he worked for Empros Systems International.He Hardware:PC-Windows also taught graduate courses in San Francisco State University.He Software:C++,Delphi, is a senior member of the lEEE Visual C++ Ken Lau is a senior research associate at PG&E's Research Development department and is responsible for PG&E's R&D pro- Facility Database: gram in distribution automation.He joined PG&E in 1977 and has Hardware:SUN-UNIX Software:Oracle Database served in varlous electric distribution engineering,planning,opera- GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE tions,and administration positions.He received his BSEE from the TCPAP,NetDDE University of California at Berkeley and is registered professional SQL Net●DBc,Socket ardware:PC-Windows electrical engineer in California. Programming,LAN/WAN Sottware:Visual-C+ Wayne Hong is the principal engineer and cofounder of Oper- con Systems,Inc..Alameda,California,a software developer spe- ADVANCED cializing in power protection,control. and engineering APPLICATIONS applications.He is also a consultant on the UCA/DAIS project.He developed the AutoPower and Fault Locating System for utilities Hardware:SUN-UNIX He worked for PG&E from 1978 to 1993.As director in the Energy Software:FORTRAN Control Center,he spearheaded the development of various engi- neering algorithms,computer applications,and system integration Figure 6.Component integration projects. Apml199635