Analysis of Transients in Power Systems

Electromagnetic transients are disruptive, often misunderstood phenomena in modern power systems. This course bridges theory and practice, guiding engineers through real-world scenarios like lightning strikes, switching surges, and inverter-based resource interactions. With instructor-led lectures and EMTP®-based simulations, participants will gain actionable insights into transient behavior and system resilience.

• Power system engineers seeking deeper insight into transient analysis and simulation.
• Professionals working with HV substations, transmission lines, or renewable energy integration.
• Engineers involved in system protection, stability, and quality studies across utility and industrial settings.

Theoretical background on Power Systems and Transients

• Theoretical analysis methods and mathematical representation of power systems
• The range of problems and frequencies: lightning, switching, and temporary overvoltages; electromechanical transients
• Electromagnetic transients and traditional analysis methods

Numerical methods for the simulation of transients

• Load-flow, Steady-state, Frequency scan
• Initialization
• Time-domain

Introduction to EMTP^®

• Overview, what EMTP can do
• Power and Control devices
• Devices and device attributes
• Libraries
• Tools
• Simulation and analysis of simple transients

Capacitor bank switching, hands-on exercise

• Step-by-step development of studied circuit
• Utilization of subnetworks, navigation, uniqueness
• Masking
• Frequency scan tool for finding natural frequencies
• Required models

IEEE-34 bus distribution test case study, hands-on exercise

• Multiphase power-flow
• Automatic transition into initialized time-domain solution
• Simulation of fault
• Tap-changer control
• Inclusion of local generation

Switching devices and simulation of power electronics circuits

Nonlinear devices: Modeling in steady-state and time-domain

Theory on Ferroresonance

Transmission/Distribution line and cable models

• Theory and available models
• PI-section, Constant Parameter model, Frequency-dependent models
• Corona model
• Application examples

Arrester model

Transformer models

Synchronous and asynchronous machine models and related controls

• Case setup, controls, and automatic initialization
• Exciters and Governors

Ferroresonance case, hands-on exercise

Transmission line and cable transients, hands-on exercises

• Switching transients, comparison of models
• Line transposition
• Induced voltages
• Kilometric fault

Setup of a 500 kV transmission system, hands-on exercises

• Initial simulations
• Establishment of study scenarios
• Transient stability analysis
• Temporary overvoltages
• Fault analysis

Circuit Breakers and Switching Studies

• Types and interruption principle
• Statistical studies
• Statistical Case Exercise
• Building a 3-phase general circuit breaker model

Circuit Breakers and Switching Studies, hands-on exercises

• Capacitor Switching
• Transient Recovery Voltage
• Capacitor Switch Exercise
• TRV study exercise with TRV breaker model

Introduction to Wind turbine models: Type III and Type IV

• Options
• Protection
• Initialization
• Control system
• Detailed park models, aggregation methods

Introduction to Photovoltaic models

Integration of renewable energies into existing power systems

• Step-by-step procedure
• Testing

Scanning tool for detecting subsynchronous control interaction problems

• Step-by-step procedure
• Benchmark cases

Integration of Wind generation into an existing 500 kV system, hands-on exercises

• Step-by-step integration of Type III and Type IV wind generators
• Analysis of transients

Detection of instability, hands-on exercises

• Step-by-step procedure
• Verification

"The course was thorough and engaging. I feel better equipped to explore and utilize EMTP as well as transient analysis moving forward. My work focuses mainly on analysis of breakers and switches so the content definitely assisted with developing my understanding of transients for this equipment.”
-Lydia Shompole, Power Studies Inc., Electrical Engineer

"Great course for those looking to get introduced to power system transients! Doug did a great job showing us the more typical/traditional type of studies we would do day to day. Great timing [on renewables] as the generation fleet changes to inverter based resources.”
- Joshua Niemi, ITC Holdings Corp.

"Great course in general! Jean and Doug did a great job! This class is extremely beneficial to any engineer running transient analysis studies."
–Kevin T., PowerStudies, Inc.

"It’s good to learn from the leading experts on complicated transient subjects."
–Michael T., Chevron

Douglas Mader

Doug Mader received his education at the Technical University of Nova Scotia (now part of Dalhousie University) where he received his Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering with Distinction in 1973. He began his career at the Nova Scotia Power Corporation upon graduation and gained his Professional Engineer status in 1975. During his career at NSPC he rose to the position of Vice President Engineering of NS Power Services, the unregulated consulting subsidiary of Nova Scotia Power. He moved to Entergy Transmission Business in June of 1998 as Director Value Engineering, and in 2000 took over responsibility for all Transmission Business Engineering, Project Management, and Construction functions. In January of 2004 he was appointed Director, Technology Delivery and Business Unit CIO for Entergy transmission, and in 2007 Director if IT Infrastructure and Enterprise Services for Entergy Corporation. Mr Mader retired from Entergy in April 2014 and is now a private consultant to the electric power industry.

Jean Mahseredjian

Jean Mahseredjian, PHD and IEEE Fellow, is currently a professor at Polytechnique Montréal. He brings with him more than 30 years of research and development experience on power system transients, having spent 17 years at the Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ) specializing in electromagnetic transient simulation and analysis. Jean is the creator and lead developer of EMTP.