Future flexible power delivery system and its intelligent functions

In this paper, the authors propose a "flexible, reliable and intelligent electrical energy delivery system (FRIENDS)" and discuss its intelligent functions. In the near future, electrical power systems will be facilitated by dispersed energy resources and dispersed energy stores on the demand side. The electrical power delivery system itself will have to be changed to co-operate with these facilities. The authors have proposed a flexible system named FRIENDS for such a situation. Noticeable intelligent functions for FRIENDS are flexible network reconfiguration for uninterrupted power supply, protective control, on-line information service to customers (including automated metering), DSM and home automation as well as multi-quality power supply. In this paper, the new concept of the power delivery system of FRIENDS is explained, and how the intelligent functions can be realized in it is discussed.