Power system control in the next century

The present evolution of power systems is making operational control increasingly difficult and this paper identifies reactive power and voltage control as one of the prime culprits. Energy storage devices incorporating microprocessors and power electronics, coupled through a communications network provide an opportunity to enhance existing control measures. The continuing fast access to the energy storage will permit direct control measures for reducing the variations of consumer demand throughout the total grid. This approach has the potential of overcoming the growing technical and financial difficulties now facing large interconnected power systems. The projected introduction of electric vehicles in cities will be able to provide the battery energy storage capacity for overcoming the difficulties of power system control