The AUSTRAL system for diagnosis and power restoration: an overview

After successful prototyping in 1993, EDF decided to develop the AUSTRAL system to be connected to two French distribution control centers (Lyon and Versailles). The AUSTRAL system provides a set of advanced functions to be connected to the telecontrol system. Connection to the telecontrol system is done using an application program interface (API) specified by EDF and developed by the telecontrol vendor. With the ultimate objective of improving network telecontrol efficiency, the AUSTRAL system provides distribution control centers with a set of advanced real-time functions. These functions handle tasks ranging from events analysis (alarm processing) to power supply restoration taking into account constraints, network operation and characteristics. The basic architecture provides the services needed by these functions: access to static data, notification of modification for each dynamic data item recorded by each function, world context management of dynamic data, etc. This paper presents a complete overview of the functions provided in AUSTRAL, the basic architecture developed for these functions and the problem raised by connection to the telecontrol system.