Significant advances in the field of optimal control have been made over
the past few decades. These advances have been well documented in
numerous fine publications, and have motivated a number of innovations
in electric power system engineering, but they have not yet been
collected in book form. Our purpose in writing this book is to provide a
description of some of the applications of optimal control techniques to
practical power system problems. The book is designed for advanced
undergraduate courses in electric power systems, as well as graduate
courses in electrical engineering, applied mathematics, and industrial
engineering. It is also intended as a self-study aid for practicing
personnel involved in the planning and operation of electric power
systems for utilities, manufacturers, and consulting and government
regulatory agencies. The book consists of seven chapters. It begins with
an introductory chapter that briefly reviews the history of optimal
control and its power system applications and also provides an outline
of the text. The second chapter is entitled "Some Optimal Control
Techniques"; its intent is to introduce fundamental concepts of optimal
control theory that are relevant to the applications treated in the
following chapters. Emphasis is given to clear, methodical development
rather than rigorous formal proofs. Topics discussed include variational
calculus, Pontryagin's maximum principle, and geometric methods
employing functional analysis. A number of solved examples are included
to illustrate the techniques.