The electric power systems engineer is faced with the challenging task of planning and operating successfully one of the most complex systems of today’s civilization. This demands a knowledge, first of all, of the priorities and objectives involved. The basic requirement is to meet the demand for electric energy by the area served by the system. A prime objective here is to perform the service at the lowest possible cost. Of equal importance is the objective of minimizing the environmental impact of the operation.
Continuity of service and reliability are major considerations. Safety for both personnel and equipment is a factor that may override some of the other objectives. It may be tempting to order the above objectives on a priority list. However, these objectives interact, which makes it difficult for one to come up with a general clear-cut ordering. Not only does this vary with the system, but also with the times and socioeconomic factors.
