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Lessons learnt from interfacing ArcGIS and DIgSILENT powerfactory at

Başkent DISCO

Conference Paper · April 2016

DOI: 10.1109/SGCF.2016.7492436

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 Lessons learnt from interfacing ArcGIS and
DIgSILENT PowerFactory at Başkent DISCO
Mahmut Erkut Cebeci, Osman Bülent Tör Seyit Cem Yılmaz, Ozan Güreç, Okan Benli
EPRA Engineering Procurement Research Analysis R&D Department, Başkent Elektrik Dağıtım A.Ş.
Ankara, Turkey Ankara, Turkey
[email protected], [email protected] [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]

Abstract—Smart grids require not only smart tools to the data in the office and in the field; tools for network
automatize grid operation and planning processes but also optimisation; and a range of automation and information
require smart approaches to maximize utilization of the processing systems which assist in the operation and
capabilities of those tools as well. Geographic information maintenance of the distribution network [5].
systems (GIS) provide an integrated suite of software for
visualizing the system data, tools for network optimisation, and
Başkent DISCO has DIgSILENT PowerFactory™ [6]
a range of automation and information processing systems power system software license which has been utilized in
which assist in the operation, maintenance and planning of operational and planning activities in the company. Research
distribution networks. Interfacing of GIS data with and development (R&D) department Başkent DISCO has
sophisticated power system simulation tools facilitates model been executing a project for six months for interfacing
updating process for the network planner who needs updated ArcGIS database and DIgSILENT PowerFactory software to
network data for operational and planning analysis. Quality capture updated grid data from the ArcGIS system along with
and quantity of data in GIS database generally limit the geographical information for power system analysis with
planners. This paper presents a smart process for interfacing
DIgSILENT PF software.
GIS based database with power system simulation tools, based
on the lessons learnt from interfacing ArcGIS with DIgSILENT This study presents a smart process for interfacing GIS
PowerFactory at Başkent DISCO. based database with power system simulation tools, based on
the lessons learnt from interfacing ArcGIS with DIgSILENT
Index Terms - ArcGIS, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, interface, PF at Başkent DISCO. Overview of the company is presented
power distribution, simulation. in Section 2. Structure of interfacing algorithm is outlined in
Section 3. The lessons learnt during this interfacing study are
I. INTRODUCTION summarized in Section 4. Conclusions drawn from the study
Importance of interfacing different tools, like; is presented in Section 5.
geographical information systems (GIS), supervisory control
and data acquisition systems (SCADA), power system II. OVERVIEW OF BAŞKENT DISCO
simulation software, remote metering, etc., for both
operational and planning purposes has been increased by Başkent Electricity Distribution Company is responsible
recent technological developments at power distribution from electric distribution activities, including investment,
sector. These systems, sensibly integrated and with real maintenance and operation, in Ankara, Bartın, Çankırı,
information distilled from the mass of data available in them, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kırıkkale and Zonguldak provinces of
can be used to make big improvements in the quality of Turkey as seen in Fig. 1. Başkent DISCO is a company of
electricity supply; in the quality of customer service; in the Enerjisa who took over the company from the government at
efficiency of operation; and in the handling of strategic 2009, during the privatization process in Turkey.
decisions in times of emergency [1]. For example, the
interface between GIS and power system simulation software
facilitates model updating process for the network planner
who needs updated network data for analysis [2-4].
The privatisation of the Turkish Electricity Companies
has put unprecedented pressure on the power distribution
sector to know exactly what system it has and how best to
operate and plan it, and therefore high quality, accurate
information is now financially extremely valuable. Başkent
DISCO (EDAŞ in Turkish abbreviations) of Turkey has been
working for the last five years in implementing an integrated
suite of tools and automated facilities to capture the network Figure 1. Distribution service area of Başkent EDAŞ.
information and use this for efficiency gains. Development of
a geographical asset database in ArcGIS™ software is among GIS database of Başkent DISCO mainly provides
the major program of network information data capture at all geographical and linguistic network data storage;
voltage levels from the customer service cable right through functionalities to manage the assets constituting the power
to the primary supply infeed; a suite of software for viewing supply (transformer, line, etc.) and events related to these

978-1-5090-0866-7/16/$31.00 ©2016 IEEE

assets (maintenance, downtime, etc.). Interfacing of detailed queries. The results of such spatial analysis are stored
DIgSILENT PowerFactory with GIS database of Başkent within ArcGIS and retrieved by Python Shell via queries and
DISCO is will enable utilization of updated geographical and cursors. Given the ability of the ArcPy API, all functions of
linguistic data in performing power system analysis in the ArcGIS are available to be utilized within the interface
scope of operational and planning purposes. algorithm.
III. STRUCTURE OF INTERFACING ALGORITHM IV. INTERFACING ALGORITHM
There are mainly two possible ways to interface GIS
database with the DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. The Flowchart of the interfacing algorithm is given in Fig. 3.
first and indeed the most convenient way is to prepare As illustrated on the flowchart, the process starts with reading
attribute tables within GIS database in a proper format which the GIS database and continues with interpreting and
DIgSILENT PowerFactory can directly read the data and reformatting the data to be read by DIgSILENT
develop the system model automatically. This process needs PowerFactory. Reading of the GIS database starts with
some preliminary studies among the GIS data collection team importing relevant libraries and activating APIs. The data
and DIgSILENT PowerFactory users. Integration of the GIS path for the feature class can be static data as well as can be
with other tools (e.g., SCADA system) should also be selected by the user.
considered in determining the final formats of the GIS
attribute tables. It is generally preferred to make one of the
tool (e.g., GIS) as a master and configure the other tools
accordingly. However, such a preliminary study has not been
made, and therefore, integration of different tools is much
more complicated. In such cases, an export filter approach
(second possible way) is necessary in order to read GIS data
and prepare a DGS file to import GIS data into DIgSILENT
PowerFactory. Although the export filter is a one way data
extraction method, the ArcGIS Python API (ArcPy) allows
the user to generate a two way communication for integration
GIS with the DIgSILENT PowerFactory, if necessary. For
the Başkent DISCO, the export filter approach method is
applied for interfacing ArcGIS and DIgSILENT
PowerFactory, as detailed below.
Main structure of the software interface is given in Fig. 2.
As seen in the figure, the Python Shell imports the APIs at the
beginning of the program to enable communication with both
ArcGIS and DIgSILENT PowerFactory. GIS database of
Başkent DISCO is designed such that most of the attributes
of the features (e.g., Medium voltage (MV) cable cross-
sections, installed transformer capacity, etc.) are stored via
numeric values. Definitions of these values are kept as Look-
Up Tables in the ArcGIS database. These definitions can be
read into Python Dictionaries in order to be utilized during
the execution of the interfacing algorithm.

Figure 3. Flowchart of the interfacing algorithm.

Topology of the network is controlled throughout the

process. Given a huge database system, GIS might include
topology and attribute errors that cannot observed via regular
GIS checks easily. The interfacing algorithm allows the user
to detect such errors along with suspicious data, make
corrections via pop-up dialogs and log the encountered GIS
errors to give feedback to the GIS data collection team. The
ArcGIS - DIgSILENT PowerFactory interface project
showed that GIS data collection team can easily pin point the
problem and make necessary correction in GIS database by
means of these logs. Therefore, it is strongly recommended
Figure 2. Main structure of software interface.
to start such an interfacing study in parallel with GIS data
Interfacing with DIgSILENT PowerFactory software collection as illustrated in Fig. 4 (not in sequence as usually
requires ArcGIS to make specific spatial analysis as well as done as illustrated in Fig. 5).
 Figure 4. Recommended process.

Figure 7. Normally open point determination.

Figure 5. Common but not recommended process.

During data interpretation, new data layers and feature B. Busbar objects reaching out of substation area
classes are generated in order to simplify the work load. GIS data model can include further difficulties due to the
However, these layers and feature classes has to be cleared differences in drawing decisions and power system
before the end of execution of the interfacing algorithm. simulation software requirements. As a specific example, the
Hence, a housekeeping algorithm is utilized to keep the network drawings can include busbar structures that reaches
source data clean and ready for next use. Finally, the DGS out of substation areas to create a connecting network.
data format is generated and feed into DIgSILENT Accordingly, the interfacing should have the flexibility to
PowerFactory software to generate power system model. except the busbar structures that reaches out of the substation
area as connecting line pieces as shown in Fig. 8.

Figure 8. Busbar connections reaching out of substation area.

C. Busbar configuration determination

Figure 6. Example of a T-connection (junction point) in GIS. Busbar configuration of substations (double busbars,
couplings, etc.) is among the most important information that
A. Normally open points (ties) should be properly extracted to power system simulation
software. GIS may either keep this information via attributes
Determination of normally open points is another of relative features or include the drawing of the busbar
challenge. Essentially, the main idea of interfacing is to be depending on the data model. In latter case, the configuration
able to make load-flow analysis in power system simulation has to be determined via interfacing algorithm. The busbar
software. A proper load-flow analysis of a distribution configurations are recorded as drawings (not features) at the
network can only be performed with a proper topology Başkent DISCO case. Further, each busbar consists of a
information including the separation points of the feeders various number of busbar feature class elements, splitting the
under normal operating conditions. The normally open point busbar at each connection points. Such configuration
information is usually stored in GIS via “Enabled/Disabled” challenges in determining whether the configuration is a
information of switching equipment. Hence, this information single or double bus structure. In such cases, the interfacing
has to be extracted properly to have a realistic and radial algorithm should be configured to determine the busbar
network topology as shown in Fig. 7. configuration for each bay as shown in Fig. 9 and 10.
 E. Modelling of line sections
Overhead line (OHL) representation in GIS can also be a
challenging in interfacing with power system simulation
software. Commonly, the OHLs are modelled in GIS by one
feature between two sequenced poles. Therefore, an OHL
connecting between two substations generally consist of
several hundred line pieces. Extracting this data from GIS
requires modelling of each connection point in the
DIgSILENT PowerFactory software, which increase the
solution matrix for load-flow drastically. However,
DIgSILENT PowerFactory allows modelling of line sections
without increasing the solution matrix but also keeping all the
Figure 9. A double busbar configuration example in GIS.
piece details within the model as shown in Fig. 12. This also
allows a smooth load-flow analysis and enables to query
systems like OMS (Outage Management System) via each
This image cannot currently be display ed.

line piece. A screenshot taken from ArcGIS and from

DIgSILENT PowerFactory developed by the interfacing
algorithm are depicted in Fig. 13 and 14, respectively.

Figure 10. DIgSILENT PF model for double busbar configuration.

D. Transformer type definition

Another common issue is the decision on how to use the
transformer catalogue information. One of the approach is to
utilize generic data for modelling transformers considering Figure 12. Modelling of line sections in DIgSILENT PowerFactory.
the installed capacity. Nameplate data (including no-load and
on-load losses, transformer vector group, tap information,
short circuit impedance, etc.) can also be utilized if available
in the GIS database, to generate unique transformer types. For
Başkent DISCO, the interfacing algorithm is configured to
read nameplate data of the transformers and to generate
unique transformer types. First, the transformer data is read
from the GIS database, then, if such transformer type is
generated before, the existing type is assigned to the
transformer, if not, a new transformer type is generated
automatically, as shown in Fig. 11.
Figure 13. ArcGIS screenshot.

Figure 14. DIgSILENT PowerFactory grid model after interface with

Figure 11. Transformer type definitions in DIgSILENT PowerFactory. ArcGIS (colors corresponds to different MV levels).
 V. CONCLUSION REFERENCES
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