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\centerline{\LARGE \bf \underline{
Parallel Processing in the Power Industry}}

{\large

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\noindent
Power utilities have two competing constraints: 
\begin{itemize}
\item  {\bf Security} -- number of power outages should be minimized 
\item  {\bf Economics} -- power should be provided at minimum cost
\end{itemize}
Security (fault tolerance) requires extra power generation and extra
transmission capacity to allow for system faults.

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Computer simulation is used to analyze these constraints:\\
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{\Large \bf Security:}
\begin{itemize}
\item  {\bf transient stability analysis} -- analyze the dynamics and 
       stability of generators following a component failure, determine
       stable limits of operation
\item  {\bf contingency evaluation} -- simulate component failures to
       test whether network remains within stable limits
\end{itemize}
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\noindent
{\Large \bf Economics:}
\begin{itemize}
\item  {\bf unit commitment} -- determine which generators should be used 
       to provide enough power to cover estimated future demand in the 
       most cost-effective way (a combinatorial optimization problem)
\item  {\bf economic dispatch} -- determine the most cost-effective 
       way to use available generators to supply current demand
\end{itemize}


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\centerline{\LARGE \bf \underline{ Niagara Mohawk Project}}

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\noindent
Improved power system simulations, especially transient stability 
analysis and unit commitment, will save energy, reduce environmental
impact, and could reduce costs by millions of dollars a year.

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These applications are currently CPU limited.

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Application of parallel processing has been hindered by the lack of
an efficient parallel sparse matrix solver.

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\noindent
NPAC project with Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation (Central New York 
utility) involves:

\begin{itemize}
\item  A survey of the applicability of high performance 
       parallel computing to the utility industry
\item  Identify appropriate parallel architectures and algorithms
       for various problems
\item  Design and implement a good parallel sparse matrix solver
       based on the structure of a power transmission system
\item  Develop a prototype program for transient stability analysis,
       incorporating the parallel sparse matrix solver, which is
       fast enough to be used on-line in control room operations \\
       (currently it is only used for planning studies)
\item  Develop a prototype parallel program for unit commitment
\end{itemize}

}

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