Top ten software for electrical design, analysis and simulation of T&D networks

Transmission & distribution design

The importance of stability and maintaining the power quality of the electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) networks necessitates a thorough examination of all aspects of the design, analysis, and simulation of the transmission and distribution networks by all persons associated with these systems in general and electrical engineers in particular.

What has replaced sophisticated mathematical computing over the past three decades and facilitated the work of engineers is engineering software, which in addition to increasing accuracy and investigation of various aspects and effects of phenomena has led to reduced design time and analysis.

In this article, we will briefly introduce the most important and most used design, analysis and simulation software in T&D networks.

It should be noted that different companies also use proprietary software that is not discussed. The evolved form of all electrical engineering software is found in smart grids, which will be discussed in a separate article due to the convergence of software and the specific form of the grid.

Generally, it is expected artificial intelligence (AI) affected software environment and application.

Table of content:

1. DIgSILENT
2. CYME
3. ETAP PS™ (Electrical Transient and Analysis Program)
4. PSS®SINCAL
5. MATLAB / SIMULINK
6. Power System Simulation for Engineers (PSS/E)
7. SIMPOW (Simulation of Power systems)
8. NEPLAN® (Networks Planning)
9. PSCAD (Electromagnetic Transient Analysis Software)
10. ERACS (Electrical Power Systems Analysis Software)