A Graphical Electromagnetic Simulation Laboratory for Power
Systems Engineering Programs
A.M. Gole (Member) O.B. Nayak (Member)
University of Manitoba, Manitoba HVDC Research Centre,
Winnipeg MB., CANADA Winnipeg MB., CANADA
Abstract - The recent availability of Electromagnetic Transient
Programs with graphical front ends now makes it possible to
put together models for circuits and systems in a manner simi-
lar to the connection of components in a laboratory. In the past,
the non-graphical EMT Programs required considerable exper-
tise in their use and thus distracted the students into the details
of simulation. The introduction of a graphical simulation based
laboratory into Undergraduate and Graduate Engineering Pro-
grams is presented, based on the PSCAD/EMTDC program.
The philosophy behind the design of suitable example cases is
presented within the framework of an Undergraduate Power
Electronics Course, an HVdc Transmission Course and a course
on Power System Protection.
Keywords: Electromagnetic Transients Simulation, Graphi-
cal User Interface (GUI), Power Systems Curricula, Power
Electronics, HVDC Transmission, Power Systems Protec-
tion.
I. INTRODUCTION
A typical student registered in graduate or under-
graduate courses is subjected to rigorous analysis and design
techniques. However, because of the pressures of time and
the need to cover a large quantity of material in the curricu-
lum, there is little time to obtain a feel for the subject. A lab-
oratory provides a means for obtaining some familiarity with
the material. However laboratory experiments take a consid-
erable amount of time to perform. Also laboratory equipment
is often expensive, particularly for power engineering experi-
ments.
Another method of obtaining experience with power
system circuit configuration is through simulation on a digi-
tal computer. Transient programs such as EMTP [1] and
EMTDC [2] have been around for a long time. These have
been for the large part in the specialists domain, in that it
IEEE Trans PS, Vol 11, No. 2,
May 1996, pp 599-606
1
T.S. Sidhu (Member) M.S. Sachdev (Fellow)
University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, SK., CANADA
takes considerable effort and time to be proficient in their
use. In addition data entry is through the use of data files
and the look and feel is more like that of a conventional
mainframe-type program, with the associated entry of data
into files and batch-oriented execution [3]. More recently
programs have become available that have graphical front-
ends. One example of such a graphical approach is a suite
of packages developed at the New Mexico State University
[4]. Another example, described here, which offers greater
flexibility, and full electromagnetic transients simulation
capability is PSCAD/EMTDC [2] developed at the Mani-
toba HVDC Research Centre. In this program, a compre-
hensive palette of components is available and the circuit is
constructed by dragging and dropping the appropriate
model block on the drawing canvas and connecting it by
drag and stretch wires. The process of circuit construction
is thus similar to that of drawing a schematic diagram of
the power circuit under study. After the circuit is con-
structed, it is run using a module called Runtime. It is pos-
sible to select the graphs to be plotted in Runtime and
observe them develop as the run progresses. This is a key
feature that gives the feel to the user that he or she is actu-
ally observing an oscilloscope trace of the waveform. Runt-
ime allows for sliders, push-button, dials, meters and other
hooks to the program that permit the user to control the
program in an interactive manner. For example, a reference
setting for the exciter of a synchronous machine or its
ordered power may be changed during the run in much the
same way that a load-dispatch operator might control an
actual machine. The approach is thus similar to that used
for training power system operators on a simulator
(although the simulation in our case is not happening in
real-time).
Described in this paper is the development of
suites of simulation examples or “laboratory experiments”
for use in undergraduate and graduate power engineering
courses. The examples used in three separate courses are
presented: Power Electronics, HVdc Transmission and
Power System Relaying. In addition, the use of PSCAD/
EMTDC in various projects at the graduate and undergrad-
uate level is also presented. The examples must be
designed with care as they must complement and not
replace the conventional analytical treatment of the subject.
Similarly they are not a substitute for a laboratory with
physical components.
 Fig. 1. Draft module for circuit construction
Fig. 2. Pop-up menu for thyristor component
II. PSCAD/EMTDC
We now demonstrate the method of graphically
building and running a circuit. The PSCAD/EMTDC mod-
ule called Draft contains the drawing palette. The example
selected here is that of a single phase rectifier controlling
an R-L load. The components needed to build the circuit
are picked up from the component library on the right
hand side and placed on the drawing canvas as seen in Fig.
1. On the upper part of the diagram is shown the power cir-
cuit, and on the lower side, the control circuit. The parame-
ters for the components, i.e. the thyristors are selected
using a pop-up menu as seen in Fig. 2.
The components are connected using the stretch-
able wire components. The control circuit consists of a
Voltage Controlled Oscillator(VCO) based phase locked
loop which provides the reference ramp for generating the
firing pulses. The firing pulses are generated in the com-
parator block and fed to the thyristors (note the signal
labels FP12, FP34 etc.; any points connected by the same
signal label are automatically connected).
After the circuit is completed, the run is initiated
on another module called Runtime. The Runtime palette
allows the user to customize the appearance of the console
to show as many of the curves required. Any number of
graphical plot windows may be opened. Also run control
devices can be opened for interactive control of the pro-
gram. The Runtime palette in Fig. 3 shows the graphs for
the source and dc side voltages, the dc current, thyristor
voltage and current and some control signals. The value of
the firing angle can be controlled by means of the slider
component shown in the diagram. The firing angle order
(bottom trace, right hand side) shows step changes that
were introduced by varying this slider.
2
 Fig. 3. Runtime palette
The program may also be paused, single-stepped
through or re-started using the tape-recorder type buttons on
the menu bar immediately above the graphs. Also, cross-
hairs and zoom in out features are available for closer inspec-
tion of the traces. In addition to the graphs, the output can
also be displayed on a meter as an analogue or digital display.
This control action can be carried out during the run as you
would in an actual controller for a rectifier. The results (i.e.,
the data corresponding to the plots) can also be stored in out-
put files for further processing (such as Fourier Analysis,
etc.). Other Runtime control artifacts such as dials, push-but-
tons (to initiate faults or start an event) are also available on
the Runtime palette. Thus putting together a circuit is a fairly
straightforward task and can be accomplished in a few min-
utes for systems of the complexity of Fig. 1
Another advantage is that since the presentation is
totally graphical and data entry is through pop-up menus for
all components, there is less likelihood of making a data
entry error as often happens with non-graphical Electromag-
netic Transients programs. Also as the Runtime palette allows
the user full control of the program as it is running, the user
can get immediate feedback about setting changes etc.
The Draft palette has a vast number of components
such as machines (both synchronous and induction), trans-
formers, transmission lines (including frequency dependent
parameters), power electronic devices such as thyristors and
GTOs, HVdc converters, circuit breakers, surge arrestors,
controlled and uncontrolled current and voltage sources and
3
so on. Also various control system blocks and digital logic
devices (AND and OR gates, Flip-Flops, etc.) are available
for the design of control systems. A number of pre-packaged
control systems such as phase-locked firing control oscilla-
tors, machine excitation and governor systems, HVdc and
SVC firing systems are also available so that users do not
always have to start from scratch.
Any user designed combination of blocks can be
grouped and stored as a single control block, and can be re-
used either by the same user or by others. Thus exchanging
circuit components between users is reduced to a matter of
exchanging graphical component icons, and leads to the pos-
sibility of co-operative projects between students. For
advanced projects in which students are expected to write
their own models, Draft provides a block design interface in
which FORTRAN or C code can be packaged into a graphi-
cal icon for further use. This feature is invaluable for soft-
ware used in an university environment, especially for use in
research projects. Often commercial software does not allow
for users to add their own models in a straightforward man-
ner.
III. EXAMPLE IMPLEMENTATIONS
Presented below are some examples cases of the
incorporation of the Graphical Electromagnetic Transients
Simulation software into a University Power Systems Engi-
neering Curriculum. The cases include an undergraduate
Power Electronics Course and graduate courses in HVdc
Transmission and in Power Systems Protection.
A. Application in a Power Electronics Cours e
A simulation laboratory was developed for use in an
undergraduate power electronics course in the final year. The
students are fairly motivated as this is one of their elective
courses with a small enrollment of about 10-15 students per
year. This is a four credit hour course, which means that there
are three lecture hours per week with a three hour laboratory
every second week (for a total of 5 laboratory sessions). The
material covered in the course begins with a brief introduc-
tion to power electronic devices such as thyristors, gate turn-
off thyristors (GTOs), MOSFETS and IGBTs. Later, circuits
such as dc-dc converters (choppers), ac controllers, naturally
and artificially commutated rectifier and inverter circuits and
other applications are studied. Control of ac and dc motors is
an important part of this course. The course also looks at
sinusoidal pulse width modulation (PWM) and optimal
PWM for ac voltage control and harmonic minimization.
The philosophy behind the simulation examples is
to use them as complements to the regular course and labora-
tory material. There were five assignments in the course of
which all but the very first had some simulation component.
The first assignment consisted of calculating the
amount of inductance (L) required in a lagging power factor
load connected to a single phase line commutated rectifier (as
shown in Fig. 1) in order to get continuous current at a speci-
fied firing (delay) angle. Other quantities such as, harmonics,
the average dc voltage and the fundamental frequency ac cur-
rent were also calculated. All these calculations were per-
formed without any simulations. The second assignment was
a follow up of the first one and included a large simulation
component. A rough working model including the firing con-
trol system was distributed to the students so that they would
not have to start from scratch. As the data given to the stu-
dents is in purely graphical form it is straightforward for
them to change the circuit.
The students were first required to verify using sim-
ulation all the calculations performed in the earlier assign-
ment. Then they were required to convert the circuit to model
a three phase controlled rectifier including the effect of trans-
former reactance. They had been exposed to this circuit in the
regular course material. Next, they were asked to put a (nega-
tive) dc source in series with the R-L load and operate the cir-
cuit at a firing angle in excess of 90o. Thus they were able to
confirm that inverter operation is possible. With a graphical
simulation program, it is straightforward to observe any
desired voltage or current - all that is required is for the user
to place a voltmeter or ammeter symbol on the draft palette.
The students were then required to convert the cir-
cuit to a half controlled three phase bridge, in which the
lower thyristors are replaced with diodes. They could now
observe that inverter operation is no longer possible, how-
ever, dc voltage control from zero to maximum voltage is still
possible. The purpose behind this particular model was that
the students concurrently had their second (physical compo-
nent) laboratory session in which they were required to verify
4
their simulations against an actual half controlled bridge.
Further assignments later on in the course consisted
of a three phase controlled rectifier, a force commutated
inverter and a three phase inverter with sinusoidal PWM driv-
ing an induction motor. As before, these included the com-
parison of simulation results with theoretical calculations for
simpler configurations followed by detailed simulation based
investigations with second order effects such as system
imbalances. In at least one of the exercises, the students were
required to observe the worst case stresses on the compo-
nents and also calculate the average power dissipation in the
device. From the latter they were required to design an appro-
priate heat sink.
In the assignments, the students did not require any
specialized computer knowledge (although for the final
course project, rudimentary FORTRAN or C programming
ability was necessary in some cases ). The effort in assem-
bling circuits with the drag and drop approach is minimal. As
described earlier, the students were also provided with sim-
plified pre-assembled circuits as a starting point. Thus the
students could start running the cases within a few minutes.
However the subsequent analysis and report preparation took
up the bulk of the time.
The physical laboratory component of the course
consisted of five laboratory sessions. In the first session the
students constructed simple firing and snubber circuits and
built a single phase ac controller using triacs. The remaining
laboratory sessions used demonstration apparatus where a
demonstrator conducted the experiment in front of a group
consisting of 4-7 students. The circuits demonstrated
included a three phase ac controller, a controlled rectifier and
a three phase inverter. Two of these circuits also appeared in
the simulation assignments. The students were first required
to check their simulations against laboratory results and then
extend the simulation to cases that could not be observed in
the laboratory such as performance under faulted and unbal-
anced conditions.
Simulation based assignments and a final simulation
based project accounted for about 45% of the total mark,
which made the students take the material seriously. For the
final project, the students were required to study in detail one
particular circuit including the firing control that they had
encountered during the course and do a paper design specify-
ing ratings, etc. A list of topics were handed out by the
instructor, however students were also free to choose topics
by themselves after consultation with the instructor. The
enthusiasm of the students was very high and the students felt
that they could apply the material learned in the course to an
actual design.
For the final project, the students sometimes had to
add their own models as making them out of the components
in the standard library proved not to be possible. One exam-
ple of such a situation is if students were modeling a micro-
processor based control system which is best expressed as a
sequence of program steps. Fig. 4 shows how user-developed
code (FORTRAN or C) can be interfaced to the simulation
program via a graphical component.The fragment of code
shown in Fig. 4 models a dq0 transformation based control
block required for the field oriented control of an induction
motor. A program such as PSCAD/EMTDC allows for a
graphical block to call up a FORTRAN or C language sub-
routine. The subroutine is directly edited by clicking on the
Draft icon. The graphical icon automatically inserts the sub-
routine in the correct location in the program.Once the sub-
routine is developed, the icon may be distributed to others or
used any number of times in the Draft worksheet as a purely
graphical element.
Fig. 4. Assigning FORTRAN code to a graphical icon
B. Application to a Graduate Level HVdc Transmission
Course
A similar approach as described for the Power Elec-
tronics course was used in a graduate level course on HVdc
Transmission. Whereas in the course described above, each
assignment considered a different circuit, in the HVdc Trans-
mission course, the students were required to extend the
model from previous assignment as the course progressed.
The students were initially issued with an example case with
a simple 12 pulse converter connected to an infinite bus on
the ac side through a converter transformer as shown in Fig.
5. There were no pole or valve-group level controls as the
only input to the model was a constant firing angle order. As
the course progressed, the students added more and more
details to the model such as a receiving end converter, the
control system, the filters on the ac and dc side, a transmis-
sion line and so on.
The first assignment consisted of a dc converter in
an idealized system with an infinite bus on the ac side and a
5
dc voltage source behind a resistance representing the remote
converter on the dc side. Using this basic model, the students
were able to verify the basic steady state dc equations and
compare the calculated dc voltage with the simulated value,
observe the harmonics in the ac currents, confirm that the
observed power factor agreed with the calculated one and so
on.
The next assignment extended the model to include
a rectifier and an inverter side with ac systems of low short
circuit ratio. A generic control system with current control at
the rectifier and extinction angle control on the inverter was
also included. The purpose of this exercise was to verify by
simulation the basic dc load flow which the students had cal-
culated by hand. Also by enabling or disabling different con-
trol functions (such as the transition from extinction angle
control to current control as the dc voltage drops), the stu-
dents can appreciate the necessity of each of the control
blocks. Note that because of the Runtime control handles
described earlier, they are also able to tune the gains in the
controllers on -line in much the same way as you would on a
a dc Transient Network Analyzer (TNA).
The other assignments were as follows:
• Recovery from ac and dc side faults.
• Core saturation instability resulting from low order ac
side resonances
• Voltage Collapse type instability in HVdc Systems.
• Phase locked Oscillator based firing system.
• Subsynchronous resonance excited by an HVdc link rec-
tifier connected to generators.
Note that designing a physical laboratory for such a
course may be prohibitively expensive due to the costs asso-
ciated with the equipment. In this case the Simulation Labo-
ratory is a reasonable substitute for the students to obtain a
feel for the subject. We have also used this Graphical Simula-
tion based approach to deliver a short one week course to
industry. The courses are often conducted at the client’s site.
Even with no previous exposure to the simulation program,
the course attendees could complete all the assignments. The
feedback has been extremely positive.
C. Application to a Graduate Level Power System Protection
Course
PSCAD/EMTDC is used extensively in the Power
System Protection course at the University of Saskatchewan.
The development of microprocessor-based relays has
received considerable attention since digital technology
became available [5]. These relays are now used by most util-
ities. The manufacturers are now producing relays that pro-
tect lines, transformers, generators, reactors, capacitors and
other devices. A major portion of the present research in
power system protection continues to be in the development
of new microprocessor-based relays and techniques suitable
for use in them [6].
 Fig. 5. Initial HVdc example
The University of Saskatchewan is one of the North
American Universities which have power system protection
as an integral part of their undergraduate and graduate curric-
ula. The major reason is that the subject is important for
power system engineers because a proper use of protective
devices can substantially reduce the impacts of faults and
other disturbances on the operation of a power system. Two
members of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the
University of Saskatchewan and several graduate students are
actively conducting research in power system protection. To
facilitate this activity, they teach two courses. The first course
deals with the fundamentals of power system relays and pro-
tection. The second course covers the subject of computer-
based relaying. A well equipped laboratory is used to impart
hand- on-experience and means of verifying new develop-
ments.
The facilities have been developed during the last
fifteen years and are kept up-to-date to keep pace with the
new developments. PSCAD/EMTDC software was acquired
about three years ago and has been extensively used for
teaching and research.
The major function of the PSCAD/EMTDC soft-
ware is to provide tools for testing and evaluating the micro-
processor-based relay algorithms and relay designs for
performing specific functions. The relay design activity at the
University of Saskatchewan have included the mathematical
development of the relaying technique. Once satisfied with
the basis of a technique, it is programmed in a high-level lan-
guage and then tested by using appropriate data. Data are
6
produced by simulating fault and abnormal conditions of a
power system by using PSCAD/EMTDC. The PSCAD/
EMTDC program can also be used to develop a relay model
and to include it in a model of the power system being simu-
lated. The relay model is programmed in FORTRAN and is
interfaced to the power system model in the manner
described under subheading A and depicted in Fig. 4. The
relay model uses the power system voltages and currents as
inputs and can interact with the power system model to ini-
tiate operations, such as, opening and closing of circuit
breakers. Records and graphical displays of the outputs from
simulations, relay inputs, intermediate results and relay out-
puts are available for further use. In addition to simulation of
faults and interaction with the relay model, PSCAD/EMTDC
also provides provisions for varying some power system
parameters, such as excitation of a generator while the simu-
lation is running.
Experience with the use of the PSCAD/EMTDC
software has been positive and has enhanced the quality of
research and teaching. Facilities for developing a relay model
within the EMTDC program and including it in a model of
the power system being simulated have proven to be very
useful. Students can check the performance of their relay
design during faults, initiate the switching operations and
monitor the relay response after switching (opening and clos-
ing of breakers). Some of the other features which students
and researchers found very useful are:
i) Data entry facility for a power system element in
the form of a menu/table This provision makes sure that no
data are missed while building the power system model. Stu-
dents and researchers, especially those who previously
worked with file-based data entry, were impressed. It also
reduced the time for power system model building and
debugging.
ii) Availability of sample models and the associated
data for power system elements This facility helps in build-
ing the power system model quickly by using the sample
models and data of the PSCAD/EMTDC. It has been found
to be very useful in the initial stages of a project and for class
projects. This allows a quick verification of the relay design
because the need for detailed data gathering and preparation
is eliminated. An introduction to PSCAD/EMTDC, its simu-
lation capabilities and other relay testing facilities is provided
while discussing testing of relays during course work. Test-
ing facilities of the PSCAD/EMTDC aid in these discussions.
IV. OTHER IMPLEMENTATION ASPECTS
It is important to start the students with a prelimi-
nary model which can be distributed at the beginning of an
assignment. Thus the students can get on with the under-
standing of the circuit rather than get distracted by simulation
detail. It is also important to have a library of commonly used
blocks, which can be cut and pasted into a student’s applica-
tion. For example, in the HVdc and Power Electronics
courses we had a comprehensive library of control and firing
circuits. Again, this is analogous to the component subas-
semblies that one might have in an actual physical laboratory.
Also we have found that it is beneficial to have at
least one session in which the students attend a tutorial on the
very basics of using the program. At the University of Mani-
toba, such formal instruction is imparted in a two hour tuto-
rial in which the students start working on their first
simulation assignment. After that the students are on their
own.
One other novel feature of a graphical simulation
based course is that the students can submit their assignments
electronically. The instructor can pull up their circuit and
Runtime palette and run their cases if he or she so wishes. It
is much easier to inspect a diagram than it is to sift through
data in a file, which makes this approach feasible. The draft
palette allows a user to use annotation boxes (as in Fig. 1) for
comprehensive documentation. If the instructor chooses to
make corrections or comments, these can be marked on the
document itself and returned electronically to the student.
V. COLLABORATION ASPECTS
Students and teachers often develop example cases
that are of value in a later course. Because of the graphical
nature of the “data” file, these can be archived and used again
in later years. There is less need for extensive documentation
as the actual data resides in a graphical format which is self-
documented. Also sections of the system diagram may be
pasted into other users’ applications and thus examples can
7
undergo continues enhancement. The electronic medium for
file exchange (such as e-mail or ftp) also allows for individu-
als at remote locations to exchange graphical data files and
thus develop course examples in a collaborative manner. Sev-
eral such exchanges have been conducted between the Uni-
versity of Manitoba and the University of Saskatchewan. The
University of Manitoba also maintains an anonymous ftp site
from which any user on the Internet can access some of these
examples.
VI. EXPERIENCE AT OTHER LOCATIONS
We now describe the experience of using this
approach at other educational institutions. Dr. N. Watson
reports that PSCAD/EMTDC is extensively used for final
year projects at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.
The short learning curve that results from the graphical inter-
face is considered one key reason why this approach is con-
sidered successful. Similar comments were received from Dr.
Soong from the Liverpool John Moores University.
The University of Manchester, Institute of Science
and Technology (UMIST),U.K., has been a pioneer in the use
of graphics based power system programs. Their Integrated
Power System Analysis Program (IPSA) is used for load
flow, fault studies, harmonic penetration studies, transient
stability and protection co-ordination. More recently they
have complemented IPSA with PSCAD/EMTDC for EMT
type studies. The combined suite of computer programs is
used to achieve the following objectives:
• Demonstrate fundamental concepts of power systems
analysis.
• Ensure the students are aware of the advantages and
indeed, some of the pitfalls of digital simulation
• Stimulate the students and encourage them to check the
classical manual calculation techniques.
• Carry out realistic design exercises.
The program is also used for a variety of research/
thesis projects.
VII. ASSESSMENT OF THE SIMULATION BASED
APPROACH
The simulation based approach proved to be very
effective. The graphical data entry and particularly the inter-
active Runtime format provide a powerful means for students
to gain familiarity with the power circuits. We noticed that a
considerable amount of material can be covered even with a
fairly sketchy coverage in the lectures because the structured
assignments serve as a self teaching vehicle. We found that
instead of demanding explanations for several difficult to
learn concepts, the students now inform us about some of the
more involved conceptual details that they observed. Students
are also creative and investigate many peripheral aspects on
their own. Some caution should be exercised in the design of
the exercises as they should not become a substitute for the
conventional analytical approach. Wherever possible the sim-
ulation component should be complementary to a physical
laboratory. However in situations where a physical laboratory
is not feasible such as in the HVDC Transmission Course, it
provides an acceptable substitute. Also, the graphical tool
along with electronic data exchange using the Internet opens
up exciting prospects for collaboration within the university
and also with colleagues in remote locations.
VIII. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dr. Neville Watson and his colleagues of the Uni-
versity of Canterbury, New Zealand, Dr. N. Jenkins, of
UMIST and Dr. Y.H. Song formerly of Liverpool John
Moores University provided detailed discussions of their
experience with the graphical input program. The authors
express their sincere thanks to these gentlemen for their valu-
able input.
IX. REFERENCES
[1] Dommel, H.W., “Digital Computer Solution of Electro-
magnetic Transients in Single- and Multi-phase Net-
works”, IEEE Trans. PAS, Vol. PAS-88, No. 4., April
1969, pp 388-399
[2] Nayak, O.B. et al, “A Totally Graphical User Interface
for Electromagnetic Transients Simulation Programs”,
IEEE Computer Applications in Power, Vol. 8, No. 1,
January 1995.
[3] Martinez,J.A., “Educational Uses of EMTP Models for
the Study of Rotating Machine Transients”, IEEE Trans.
PWRS, Vol. 8, No. 4, Nov. 1993, pp. 1392-1399,
[4] Smolleck,H.A., Chen, H., Badruzzaman, S., Bravo, R..
and Pardave, D., “A Developmental Package of Interac-
tive Software for Illustrating Power Systems Protection
Principles in Educational and Industry Training Pro-
grams”, Paper 94 SM 382-2 PWRS, IEEE PES Summer
Meeting, San Francisco, July 1994.
[5] M.S. Sachdev (Coordinator), "Microprocessor Relays
and Protection Systems", IEEE Tutorial Course Text, 88
EH0269-1-PWR, Piscataway, NJ, USA, 1988
[6] IEEE Committee Report (M.S. Sachdev, Chairman),
"Bibliography of Relay Literature, 1993", IEEE/PES
1994 Summer Meeting, San Francisco, CA, July 24-28,
1994.
A.M. Gole (M’83) obtained the B.Tech. (EE) degree from IIT
Bombay in 1978, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Manitoba in
1982. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Gole is a Reg-
istered Professional Engineer in the Province of Manitoba and a Member of
the IEEE Power Engineering Society. He is active on several Working
Groups of the IEEE. Dr., Gole has worked with IREQ (Hydro Québec) du r-
ing his sabbatical year (1988-89) and with Manitoba Hydro (1990-92).
Om Nayak (M’93) received his B.E. (hons.) degree from
Mysore University, India in 1984, and the Ph.D. degree from the University
of Manitoba in 1993. He is currently a Research Engineer with the Manitoba
HVDC Research Centre and is involved with EMTDC developments. His
earlier employment was with Siemens (India) and Bosch (India). His
research interests include digital simulation of electromagnetic transients in
power systems and HVDC transmission.
Tarlochan S. Sidhu (M'90, SM'94) received the B.E. (Hons.)
degree from the Punjab University, Patiala, India in 1979 and the M.Sc. and
Ph.D. degrees from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada in
1985 and 1989 respectively. He joined, in 1990, the University of
Saskatchewan where he is presently Associate Professor of Electrical Eng i-
neering. His areas of research interest are power system protection, monito
r-
ing and control.
Mohindar S. Sachdev (M'67, SM'73, F'83) received the B.Sc.
from the Baneras Hindu University, India, the M.Sc. degrees from the Pu
n-
jab University, Chandigarh, India and the University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, Canada and, the Ph.D. and the D.Sc. degrees from the University
of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Since 1968, he has been with the Uni-
versity of Saskatchewan where he is currently Professor in the Department
of Electrical Engineering. His areas of interest are power system analysis
and power system protection. Dr. Sachdev became a Fellow of the IEEE in
1983. He is also a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (India) and IEE
(U.K.). He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Province of
Saskatchewan and a Chartered Engineer in the UK.