Workshop: International Workshop on Power System Operation and Planning"Restructuring the Power Industry for the Year 2000 and Beyond" to be Held in Accra, Ghana, Summer 1999

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ECS-9900330Momoh This proposal intends to organize the first international workshop devoted to restructuring the power industry in Sub-Sahara Africa by involving new energy market players and experts. African and US power industries are undergoing significant changes towards a market-oriented structure, which is reflected in all aspects of power system planning, and operation. The traditional vertical organization of utilities is being replaced by a decentralized structure to induce competition at all stages of energy generation and distribution. Similarly, the UK, Brazil, several Asian countries and many other countries worldwide are at different stages of restructuring their power industries or studying the impact of deregulation. In the emergence of a competitive environment, new planning and operations issues pose new challenges to power system managers, practicing engineers, researchers and developers. They are investigating new paradigms, computational and informational tools in support of high performance power systems. The objective of this proposal is to organize a new focus US-Africa workshop to address the following issues: (1) Promote effective planning and operation strategies and paradigms for competitive power systems. (2) Obtain better understanding of the needs and views of key players in the power sector. (3) Evaluate software tools developed by US researchers and their African counterparts for high performance power system. (4) Exchange information and experience between the US and African engineers, policymakers and managers. (5) Establish greater cooperation between companies, utilities and universities in the fields of generation and transmission planning, optimal power flow, production and reactive power pricing, stability and reliability issues, cost/benefit analysis in the deregulated environment. (6) Provide opportunities for US minority faculty, staff and students to engage in joint research activities.To meet these objectives without repeating previous experience, a new international workshop devoted to planning and operation in the restructured US and Sub-Sahara Africa utility environment is proposed. The workshop is scheduled for Summer 1999 and will be held over a four-day period in Accra, Ghana. The schedule dates will be confirmed with the host country once the award is granted. The US participants will benefit from the Workshop in terms of new skills, co-operation, and unique opportunities for the US power utilities, universities, business and government agencies. This exposure will present opportunities for US-based consultants and software vendors to explore new markets for their expertise in direct competition in the UK and Europe-based companies. The US industry can benefit from the potential market for tools and expertise in a deregulated environment. Students will benefit by getting experience in power industry activities in Africa. EPRI can increase its membership in Africa by attracting more customers among the African power utilities. This experience will strengthen the research capability of the power program in the USA and Sub-Sahara Africa. The exchange of ideas and information via workshop and panel sessions will provide an opportunity for collaborative and cooperative work necessary to build practical and reliable tools for high performance power systems.