Software

Description
This is used typically by utilities for verifying relay coordination. It is a pretty straight forward package to use. Transient studies cannot be carried out with this but things like sequential studies can. You can also model your relays tripping logic and use the scripting language Powerscript to automate the program to your heart's content. There is a side package to allow for calculating the PI transmission line parameters for different transmission line configurations. The ASPEN short circuit model can be pulled from a PSS/E (need .seq file for sequence parameters), PSLF, or CAPE model.

Documents
Michigan Tech Aspen Oneliner Notes

Michigan Tech Aspen Oneliner Tutorial

Description
This is a free package that allows you to do transient analysis studies. It is fairly easy to use if you have experience using packages like SPICE. There is a fairly large user group that will help you if you have problems determining what errors are causing your model to fail. The error codes are not very descriptive sometimes. ATP-Draw is the graphical interface for the ATP-EMTP engine.

The plotter that comes with the program is not that good but there are various packages you can use that are better and interface with EMTP.

A login and password is provided to you for the programs FTP servers after you sign a user agreement and send it in.

There is a module in the program for developing the parameters for transmission lines and cables, which with ASPEN you need to purchase as an additional package.

Documents
ATP-EMTP Website

University of Idaho - Installation and basic usage of ATP-EMTP

Michigan Tech - Getting started with ATP-EMTP notes

PSRC EMPT Tutorial - Chapters 1-4,5-9, 10-13

Description
A pretty common package that is used for industrial systems. It is capable of relay coordination, transient and stability, grounding, ect. This is the most common package that is used for industrial systems. There are a bunch of side packages that can be purchased to add additional functionality.

Documents
ETAP Website

ETAP Tutorials

Description
This is another transient analysis package for Matlab. It isn't very expensive though you have to have Matlab to use it. I actually like it better than ATP-EMTP due to it being intuitive, no weird atp-emtp error codes, and it is integrated (access to all the graphing and Matlab math functions) into Matlab. The only thing about this package I didn't like was that it wasn't free. I haven't run across anyone outside of academia that uses it but they should.

Documents
SimPowerSystems package webpage

Description
This package like ETAP is used typically for industrial distribution. It is not quite as common as ETAP but it is cheaper.

Documents
SKM Website

SKM Tutorials

Description
A program that is used for power flow and contingency analysis at the transmission level. It is a new program that is not as bloated as PSS/E, is much easier to use, and has placed emphasis on helping visualize what is happening in the system. There are other functions built like in PSS/E that extend the function of the program. Doing things like transient and stability analysis is so much easier inside of Powerworld.

Documents
Free evaluation copy of Powerworld

Tutorials for doing power flow and stability analysis - the tutorials baby step you through every single step required to carrier out a study

Description
A program that is usually used for power flow and contingency analysis at the transmission level. Most utilities and ISOs use it. If you want to do anything more than just running a macros (IDEVs) you need to learn python. From python, you can call on the PSS/E engine functions and treat PSS/E as a library of tools instead of a stand alone program. There are other packages that Siemens sells to help with visualizing the system but what comes with the program is inferior to what Powerworld offers.

Documents
Free evaluation copy of PSS/E (limited number of buses)

Colorado State University - PSS/E labs that will help you get up to speed, 1,2,3,4,5