Understanding the Power Flow Analysis Tool Window

The Power Flow Analysis tool is divided into three areas:

1. The Context pane (left): shows the steps in the wizard. Completed steps are shown in normal text, the current step is shown with bold text, and the remaining steps are grayed out.

2. The Main pane (right): provides the user options or results of wizard.

3. The Button pane (lower): contains the following buttons:

• < Back: Moves the wizard back to the previous page.

• Next >: Moves the wizard to the next page, as listed in the context pane on the left side of the window.

• Cancel: cancels the power flow analysis. This button is shown while the power flow analysis is being run and the status on the wizard shows Solving….

• Finish: closes the Power Flow Analysis wizard.

• Help...: Opens the online help system to the Power Flow Analysis in Switching Management tool help content

Selecting Options

Analysis Depth

All Steps: by default, all the steps in the plan are selected for power flow analysis.

Up to Selected Step: This option is enabled if a step is selected in the plan. You may choose this option if the power flow should run up to the selected step.

Constraints

• Force kVA: Power Flow Analysis tool user power flow engine for the analysis, by default. If at least one feeder is opted for kVA mode, then kVA engine is used for the analysis. If you want the tool to use kVA mode irrespective of the configuration, then you can force the tool to use kVA mode by checking the Force kVA check box.

• Disconnect DG (IEEE-1547 rules) will cause Power Flow Analysis to emulate DER disconnections during recent re-energization events. Therefore, in Restore scenarios, DER devices will be disconnected for the purpose of evaluating load.

Load Scenario

The Real-Time load scenario is selected by default for the analysis. You may choose a different scenario by selecting the Modify button and then selecting the appropriate option. You can choose a load scenario for a specific date and time or a custom option by selecting the various options for day, hour, temperature, and DER conditions.

Click Next to initiate the Power Flow Analysis and proceed to the wizard Summary page.

Analysis Summary

The Summary page displays a summary of power flow results generated by the Power Flow Analysis tool. The summary contains the following information.

• # Steps: is the number of switching steps in the plan.

• Affected Feeders: lists the feeders affected by the plan.

• Affected Switches: lists the switches affected by the plan.

• Customers Impacted: summarizes the number of regular and critical customers that are impacted by the plan. The counts are further divided into customers that are fully impacted and those that may be temporarily impacted by intermediate steps to allow non-load break operations.

• Affected DERs: summarizes the number of primary and secondary distributed energy resources (DERs) that are impacted by the plan. DERs, which can form island and act as source, are defined as primary.

• Violations Before: the number of violations before the plan is implemented.

• Violations After: the number of violations if the plan is implemented.

Note: You may stop the power flow analysis on the switching sheet by clicking the Stop Solution button. The button is only available when the system is still processing the analysis.

To view detailed result data and steps for a plan, click Plan Details..., which will open the Power Flow Analysis Details window.

Note: This is the same window that is displayed when View Results… menu is selected from the Actions menu's Power Flow Analysis option.

Power Flow Analysis Details

The Power Flow Analysis Details window provides information about the plan's switching steps and feeder status.

• Switching Steps Tab: The Switching Steps tab shows the individual switching steps and the effects of each switching step on the feeder where its load is being transferred. Associated violations are shown in the Switching Step Violation tree to the right. Associated switching step violations and affected DERs are shown to the right.

• Switching Step Violations: Tree view is displayed with the total number of violations in feeders and type of each violation along with associated device.

• Affected DERs: Tree view is displayed with the total number of affected DERs in feeders with type and its information.

• Feeder Changes Tab: The Feeder Changes tab shows the net effect of all switching changes on each of the affected feeders. This view clearly shows the net change in violations and affected DERs before and after all switching steps are performed.

• Options Tab: The Options tab shows the various parameters that were used to generate the power flow analysis related to analysis depth, constraints, and load scenario.

Click Close to return to the Summary page.

Click the Navigation button next to the Switching sheet name on the wizard or details window to navigate to the associated switching sheet.