Transmission grids are currently undergoing major changes, to reliably accommodate increasing amounts of non-dispatchable resources while maintaining operational efficiency and minimising system-wide cost. The displacement of conventional generation by wind and solar power generators imposes new challenges on the ability of the grid to maintain system stability.

PowerFactory offers a complete suite of functions for studying large interconnected power systems and addressing these emerging needs. Its fast and robust simulation algorithms can be applied to any AC or DC network topology and support the simulation of new technologies such as converter-based power generation, FACTS, voltage-sourced converters (VSC), HVDC, cables and overhead lines, DC breakers, filters, and various types of MW- and Mvar-controllers and virtual power plants.
To maintain such a rich data model, PowerFactory comes with comprehensive planning tools. Operation Scenarios can be used to save operating points, thus enabling the user to study different scenarios with just a few clicks. Network Variations with time-related Expansion Stages allow the user to model network development projects including the (de-)commissioning of power system equipment. Just by changing the study time, the right network configuration will be automatically used for calculations.

PowerFactory is also perfectly suited to transmission system operation planning. It integrates a comprehensive set of tools to support automatic and parallel grid security analysis such as ENTSO-E D2CF/DACF/IDCF, and outage planning. Multiple interfaces (API, DGS, CIM) and flexible scripting languages (DPL, Python) enable smooth integration with existing systems, and compliance with ENTSO-E CGMES data exchange standard.