Evaluating computer programs for analyzing industrial power systems: what users need to know

Computer programs for analyzing industrial electrical power systems are available from many sources. The lack of suitable test standards or problems to evaluate their accuracy and performance has left the user with this burden. Verification by hand may be extremely difficult or impossible. A description is given of procedures for evaluating software accuracy, performance, and user friendliness. Examples used are limited to power flow and short circuit algorithms which depict linear and nonlinear solution techniques. These programs have been singled out because they are the most widely used in industry