Assessment of commercially available software tools for transient stability: experience gained in an academic environment

There are many power system simulation software tools for transient stability analysis that are commercially available today. The choice of the most adequate tool for a specific type of stability analysis is a difficult task, and is influenced by economical reasons. It is imperative that a comparative study of various tools be carried out to help users make informed decisions. This work evaluates DIgSILENT, PSS/E and PSCAD, which are commercial software tools used for digital simulation of power systems. As criteria for software assessment, the following features are investigated: (i) modelling capabilities - synchronous generator, generator saturation, transmission line representation, and external network, (ii) flexibility allowed to the user. A well known benchmark power system model from literature is used to validate the simulation results of the commercial tools.