Hello. I came on here to ask how I may use the existing IEEE39 SAInt project template to model my own network in Colorado. I’m not entirely sure where to begin with modeling this project or the existing information and insert my own parameters (generator info, utility info, plant info, etc.) If anyone could clarify this a little bit, I’d greatly appreciate it!
Hello @jramirezmalerv , thank you for reaching out and posting on the forum!
The existing ENET39 network is a modified version of the IEEE39-bus Test system, and it modeled to represent the New England region of the United States. More details about the network could be found on this link.
With that being said; networks, objects and events in SAInt are flexible and can be modified/edited.
Different modifications usually require different procedure to address them. Could you please elaborate more on what you are looking to change/add so we can address them.
Also, I do recommend you to watch the series of videos on how to effectively use SAInt in this link.
I look forward to hear from you.
Best of luck.
Hi Muhy, thank you for your response! The current process that I am trying to figure out is how to begin implementing CO’s basic information, such as weather data, so that any future scenarios can run under Colorado’s weather data.
Similarly, I found the EIA-860 and EIA-923 documents, which allow me to see all generation plants in Colorado for 2024, the year I am trying to model. Where do I begin implementing this information through SAInt?
I look forward to your response!
Thank you for your question! I understand why you might feel unsure about where to start. You are suggesting that you’d like to create an entirely new model representing Colorado from scratch. This is certainly possible and we’d be happy to help guide you through that process, but I assure you it is no small task and would go far above and beyond what is required for your course project.
Regardless of what you decide to do for your project, the best way to understand SAInt is to start using it! Have you watched the videos Muhy linked above? They are very helpful, as are the tutorials for energy markets in our documentation. I strongly recommend first exploring the software a bit before jumping fully in to your project. When you are ready to build your dataset (or, as is highly recommended, make some modifications to the existing ENET39 dataset), everything you need can be found in our documentation. Some answers you may even find on this forum! The search bar will be your best friend 
.
I understand my recommendation above may be a bit unsatisfying if you have something specific in mind for your project. I will provide for some targeted answers to your specific questions below.
How do I implement generator data from the EIA-860 and -923 datasets in SAInt?
You could implement each power generator in the EIA-860 database as a generator object in SAInt. You could filter for just the ones in Colorado if that is the area you intend to model. There are plenty of resources that show you how to do this with an existing model in the GUI or how to to this using the Excel import template format to build a whole new model from scratch.
However, there is one thing that is extremely important to consider that you have not mentioned: transmission! Do you plan to keep the the transmission system from the IEEE-39 bus test system (used in the ENET39 dataset) and overlay that on Colorado? If so, do you plan to keep all of the transmission infrastructure as is or do you plan to modify it so it better represents Colorado’s power system? Accurate transmission data is often protected by Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) guidelines, although there are ways to make reasonable approximations. Regardless, then there is the question of how you plan on deciding where to place the Colorado generators from the EIA-860 database in your system once you have it. You might even need to iterate on the properties/structure of your power system relative to the size and placement of your generators.
Each of these questions on their own could be a very interesting research project. This is why we strongly recommend that you just start from the ENET39 and make some modifications to that dataset for your project.
How do I implement Colorado weather data in SAInt?
SAInt has the capability of creating PV and wind generation profiles from historical data. Follow these How-to Guides (Connect to a Data Provider, Collect Solar/Wind Data, and Generate Solar/Wind Profile) to find out how!
You can also import your own data using our Excel import template format.
After you’ve had the chance to get more familiar with the software, let us know if you have any other targeted questions. Happy modeling!
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Hi @will,
Thank you so much for responding, and providing a detailed explanation over my current questions. To start, I have already been looking at those tutorial videos and have now familiarized myself with the SAInt software a little better. I also understand that creating this project from scratch would be absolutely time-consuming, which is why I agree more with the idea of using the ENET39 dataset to model a smaller (20-25 bus) system within CO.
As of right now, I have been able to model example substations by simply modifying the existing ENET39 nodes and relocating them to the appropriate location in CO. I have also made a simple base voltage change to match the existing layout of these substations. You mentioned that I have not discussed transmission, and I believe the easier route for my project would be to overlay the transmission system from the ENET39 dataset to CO, and modify the infrastructure so that it may also represent CO’s transmission system better.
A concern I have is that I might not find much information on the substations that I am currently adding, as I have already checked the EIA-860 and -923 forms for help, and they are not tagged in the spreadsheets. Should I just use the information in the spreadsheets to make it a little easier to model the system?
Also, If I am modeling CO using the ENET39 dataset, how would I go about modeling the demand?
The link I attached below was an Excel electrical grid project about CO that is publicly available for modeling in SAInt, but upon trying to open the project file within the ZIP, SAInt says that I require a network resource to open the project, or a .msi file within my directory to read the network license. Does this mean the project info can only be accessed through a specific network?
I apologize for bombarding you with even more questions, and I really appreciate everything you have provided. I will continue to play around with modeling CO by using the EIA forms, and I look forward to your response!
Glad to hear you are making some progress on learning SAInt as well as some of these early decisions for your project!
I think using the ENET39 and overlaying it on part of Colorado is your best bet. I’m happy to hear that is your plan. However, I would recommend not adding any additional nodes or lines. The layout of this system has the stamp of approval from IEEE itself for the purpose of power system research/analysis (since it is the IEEE 39-bus system, after all). I would recommend making assumptions that help you adapt whatever Colorado data you intend to use to the layout of the ENET39 and not the other way around. Remember that the locations of the nodes on the map are purely for the sake of visualization and have no impact whatsoever on the electricity market optimization that is performed using SAInt.
If you can find suitable demand profile data for Colorado, you can absolutely use those in place of the existing demand profiles in the ENET39. This is a modification I fully support! In general for your project I support any changes except for the connectivity and reactance values of the lines and transformers (FromName, ToName, XXDEF). I would also exercise caution when adding new generators and demands to the system because it is possible to do this in such a way that creates unintended transmission congestion. The only way to find out is to try new things, so exploration is highly encouraged!
The link you’ve attached below is just a shape file. This is simply geographic information about the transmission system in Colorado. You could use this to help overlay the ENET39 over Colorado in the Map Window in SAInt. But remember, the locations of lines and nodes on the map are purely for the sake of visualization and have no impact whatsoever on the electricity market optimization performed in SAInt. The file you’ve linked contains no information about the transmission details needed to model the Colorado transmission system - only information that could help you visualize transmission lines on a map (either in SAInt or any GIS application). I recommend focusing your efforts primarily on getting good modeling results of your project and investing your time in visualizations to the extent that these support presenting your results. Beyond that, any additional time you spend on visualization out of your own curiosity and/or desire to learn new skills is encouraged but not required.
Happy modeling!
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