Power Systems Wiki
An open wiki for power systems engineers, researchers, and students.
Introduction
This open-access wiki is designed to help power system professionals, researchers, and students quickly find clear, concise definitions of key terms and acronyms in the industry. Whenever a concept has multiple interpretations—whether in academic papers, technical standards, or industry reports—our goal is to present relevant definitions side by side, with citations to the original sources.
How to Use
- Browse or search: Navigate via the wiki or use the search bar to locate terms instantly.
- Compare definitions: Some entries include excerpts from multiple sources—standards, peer-reviewed papers, and industry guidelines—so you can see how usage varies.
- Stay current: Terminology evolves as the field advances. We update entries regularly; check back for the latest additions and revisions.
- Contribute: Spot an error, omission, or new term? Please open an issue or submit a pull request on our GitHub repository.
Acronyms & Abbreviations
| BES | Bulk Electric System |
| BPS | Bulk Power System |
| FERC | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission |
| NERC | North American Electric Reliability Corporation |
| EPRI | Electric Power Research Institute |
| IEC | International Electrotechnical Commission |
| ENTSO-E | European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity |
| CIGRE | International Council on Large Electric Systems |
| AGC | Automatic Generation Control |
| ACE | Area Control Error |
| IBR | Inverter-Based Resources |
| DER | Distributed Energy Resources |
| HVDC | High Voltage Direct Current |
| FACTS | Flexible Alternating Current Transmission System |
| SOL | System Operating Limit |
| IROL | Interconnection Reliability Operating Limit |
| EMS | Energy Management System |
| LMP | Locational Marginal Price |
| GSF | Generator Shift Factor |
| DFAX | Distribution Factors |
Why This Wiki Exists
Language is inherently ambiguous, and power system terminologies are no exception. Inspired by an email titled “Definitions of Smart Grids a Decade Ago – What Has Changed?” on Power-Globe in 2024, I decided to compile terminologies from papers, standards, reports, and other traceable sources to build this wiki.
Disclaimer
- Not a primary source: We quote and cite definitions from existing standards, papers, and reports.
- Not exhaustive: Some important terminologies may be missing.
- Not rigorous: The terminologies are not rigorously proven mathematical theories.
- Subject to change: As power systems evolve, definitions may be updated.