EVERYDAY DECISIONS CONCERNING NETWORK DEVELOPMENT CAN BE OPTIMIZED

Planning of electrical networks can be divided into operative planning and strategic planning. Both methods are necessary to optimize and operate networks. Planning engineers of public utilities mostly focus the operative planning in its daily work. Therefore the long-term future concepts will not been recognized and local replacements of electrical equipment will be carried out without an analysis of the optimum for the whole system. Operative planning without any strategic planning will not lead to economical network structures. Siemens AG network planning department received an order from several network operators to develop a process for the optimization of operative planning. This report presents and discusses the process that was worked out. The practical experience already gathered is also presented. The paper shows that a new method will support economic network planning in the daily work of planning departments for a German and Italian utility.