Hydro-Quebec and OPAL-RT Technologies form a strategic, long-term alliance to commercialize the HYPERSIM real-time power system simulator

MONTREAL, May 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hydro-Quebec and OPAL-RT Technologies have concluded a strategic collaboration agreement for the commercialization of the HYPERSIM power system simulator. As a result, this leading-edge technology will now be available to public utilities, equipment manufacturers, universities and research facilities.

The results of over two decades of expertise, HYPERSIM is a real-time digital simulation platform developed by Hydro-Quebec's research institute, IREQ, and designed to improve power system performance and reliability.  Used on a daily basis and constantly upgraded by Hydro-Quebec, this proven technology has  numerous applications, including studies on complex, large-scale power systems; closed-loop testing of control and protection systems to validate performance and facilitate commissioning; development, improvement and assessment of new control and protection concepts and simulation of wind farms connected to the transmission system.

HYPERSIM harnesses the power of an SGI parallel supercomputer and includes modules for interfacing with the control systems being tested. It incorporates a power system diagram editor and an extensive block library covering all elements of the power system (electricity generation, transmission and distribution). There is also a graphical interface that enables the user to create customized models, a data acquisition and processing system to view and analyze simulation results and a test sequence programming function allowing thousands of statistical tests to be run with no user intervention.

"Thanks to this strategic collaboration with OPAL-RT, all engineers working in power transmission, distribution and generation or power electronics now have access to a proven simulation solution," said Luc Audette, Manager–Power Systems and Mathematics at IREQ.

OPAL-RT, a world leader in power grid and industrial systems simulation, has added HYPERSIM to its catalogue of power system simulators.  "The integration of HYPERSIM's unique characteristics with those of OPAL-RT technology will create an extremely effective and comprehensive real-time simulation solution for all industries that offers a level of performance, openness and flexibility exceeding anything currently on the market," commented Jean Belanger, President, CEO and CTO at OPAL-RT.

About Hydro-Quebec's research institute (IREQ)
Hydro-Quebec's research institute, IREQ, offers technical assistance to Hydro-Quebec's divisions and carries out technological innovation projects to support their activities and ensure the company's long-term development. Hydro-Quebec allocates about $100 million per year to IREQ.

For more information: www.hydroquebec.com/innovation

About OPAL-RT Technologies
Founded in 1997, OPAL-RT is the leading developer of open, real-time digital simulators based on standard off-the-shelf PC components and of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing systems. Its unique approach combines parallel, distributed processing with multicore computing for unequaled performance, openness and accessibility. Products include the well-known eMEGAsim and eDRIVEsim simulators for medium-sized power grids and high-speed power electronic subsystems that run on standard multicore processors or directly on FPGA chips. OPAL-RT's customers—including ABB, BHEL, Denso, General Electric, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, General Motors and Toyota—can perform rapid control prototyping, system integration and testing of electronic controllers and protection systems used in power transmission and distribution grids, industrial systems, electric trains, ships, aircraft and hybrid vehicles.

For more information: http://www.opal-rt.com/new-product/hypersim-power-system-real-time-simulator  

SOURCE OPAL-RT Technologies Inc.