Power Systems Engineering: A Career on the Grid

In the United States, power systems have a long history dating back to 1882, when Thomas Edison launched the first investor-owned electric utility. Water from Niagara Falls was channelled to turbines coupled to two 5,000-horsepower generators more than a decade later, according to the Smithsonian Institution, which is considered the first large-scale delivery of electrical power. Since then, the manner energy is generated and distributed has changed dramatically, but the commodity's worth has only increased.

Engineers are frequently responsible with the design, management, and improvement of these vital systems today. As an electrical engineer, a master's degree can help you flourish in your field after graduation by giving you a thorough grasp of power systems and how they provide electricity to communities around the country.

What is an electric power system?

An electric power system is a collection of components that work together to process and distribute electricity. While this can take numerous forms, the largest networks – commonly referred to as "the grid" – that supply towns with power are the most frequent. These networks typically include a source – usually a generator – that generates power that is transmitted through a transmission system and then distributed to individual homes and businesses via a distribution system.

The word "electric power system" should not be confused with "power electronics," which is a broader – though related – term that refers to the study of transforming electrical power from one form to another.

Engineering and the steady state

Synchronous generators are commonly used in these electric systems. The capacity of these generators to revert to what is known as the steady state – or the system's equilibrium – is linked with their stability. The system in electronics must be able to recover to this equilibrium state without losing synchronism.

The stability of power systems is often classified into one of three categories, the distinctions between which are very important in scientific research:
Dynamic stability examines a system's capacity to revert to its original state after being subjected to a series of minor perturbations.
The study of a power system after it has been subjected to a major disturbance is known as transient stability.
The ability of a system to recover to a stable condition following a minor disturbance is known as steady state stability.

It's also worth noting that the outputs of steady-state systems are time-independent.