Systems Approach to Power Planning

The development and use of systems engineering techniques in the power industry are reviewed. The power polls of the West Region of the 1970 National Power Survey are used as a backdrop for an analysis of system engineering applications in planning for load growth, the sequential position of various types of generating units under the load curve, and interconnection. The place of pumped storage, thermal electric plant siting, and the expected future shifting role of interconnection to reserve status are reviewed. Systems techniques have been of great value to the industry in estimating reliability and economic aspects of alternative expansion strategies. They are expected to be of increasing value in evaluating environmental effects of alternative expansion strategies and in interacting with the public and regulating agencies in evaluating the effects of alternative social constraints.