Electric power systems: The computer connection: Applications — Ranging from billing to payroll to system planning, design, and operation — Make the power industry the third largest user of computers

Many people believe that the only connection between power systems and computers is that computers must be plugged into an electrical outlet to operate. True, electricity does indeed power computers, either directly for desktop units or indirectly through uninterruptible power supplies (batteries charged by the power system) for large computers. There is far more, however, to the connection between computers and power systems.