A case study in change from a centralized energy management system to a decentralized one

The authors present a case study describing a situation in which a centralized energy management system configuration was changed to a decentralized configuration following initial operation. An initial system conforming to the operating precepts and desires of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation was based upon a centralized configuration and became operational in October 1985. The initial system had many communication linkages: to remote terminal units, a power pool, several regional control centers, several power control rooms, corporate computer facilities, and distribution dispatch offices. Subsequently the system architecture was modified to a more decentralized configuration to better address concerns of remote regional control centers regarding catastrophic outages. The modified design represents an evolution from the initial centralized system to a decentralized one. The decentralized architecture is needed to support all of the terminals of the originally centralized system. It is also needed to contain a strong skeleton for centralized and decentralized operation. The authors describe the two systems, the motivation in the transition, and the attributes of the specific architecture which made the transition a feasible one.<>