Managing a production-transport system

Electrical systems", i.e. interconnected production-transport-consumption units, are immense distributed machines, sometimes covering areas on the scale of continents. They are governed by physical laws that make them complex and delicate to operate, since their smooth running depends on constant balancing, which can never be taken for granted, and on compliance with countless technical constraints that evolve over time.

Managing a power system means first and foremost defining the sharing of roles and responsibilities between the many players involved. Then, for the "transmission system operators" who, in each country or each major operating zone, have the role of orchestra conductor and direct control of control resources, it means preparing for future situations, then, from their control centers or "dispatching centres", monitoring and controlling the system, and anticipating possible difficulties. Finally, each of the players must be reimbursed for the role they played in past operations, and the corresponding financial settlements must be made.