Scada software addresses electric utilities

iPower Version 2.11 from BJS Industrial Computing includes new functionality to address operator, engineer and integrator needs of electric utility Scada systems.

iPower Version 2.11 from BJS Industrial Computing includes new functionality to address operator, engineer and integrator needs of electric utility Scada systems.

iPower is developed on top of the iFIX control system from Intellution.

iPower enables Scada users in the electricity industry to benefit from this world-leading control system, while still enjoying the operational requirements specific to electricity applications.

Earlier versions focused on providing electricity-specific operator functions such as control tagging, information tagging, bus colouring, hand-dressing, portable ground display, plus integration efficiency tools such as the intelligent automation software.

This new release extends operator services with mouse driven pan, zoom and de-clutter.

Internationalisation is advanced with inclusion of regional-specific symbol sets.

System reliability and security benefits from new robust handling of fail-over, shutdown and restart occurrences.

"This release advances our product yet again beyond our competitors", explains Tony Haresnape, MD of BJS.

He adds, "iPower starts with the highly advanced and capable iFIX platform, a world-beater for over a decade.

From here we have added the services that our customers in the electricity industry expect to see in their Scada systems, and smart software that drastically reduces system installation costs.

This combination is very powerful, bringing the benefits of a state-of-the-art, truly open, Windows-based control system into the electricity sector.

These customers are frequently faced with choosing from relatively old-fashioned, technically dated software applications that are expensive to purchase, install and maintain.

iPower finally enables the power industry to enjoy the control-system technology advances the process industries take for granted, without sacrificing their operational and reliability needs".

"In 2.11 we have integrated the "OnDemand" automated load management package for electricity distribution businesses into our free iPower demo", says David Ganley, Engineering Manager for BJS.

"OnDemand was developed for the New Zealand market, where direct load control has been common place for decades.

It is a mature system, offering load prediction and automated control that is sophisticated by US standards where direct control is still relatively uncommon.

It was always difficult for customers to appreciate the scope of this software from a brochure, with this version customers can now try it out for themselves".

(This was Engineeringtalk's Top Story on 12 July 2002).

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