3.1 Planning in Electric Power Systems
(Professor Eduardo Nobuhiro Asada)

Study and development of techniques for electro-energetical planning of hydrothermal electric power systems; planning of generation expansion, applications of artificial intelligence in electrical power systems and flood control. The reserach activities in this theme include:

Application of artificial intelligence in operation planning;
Study and control of floods;
Geoprocessing applied to electrical power systems;
Planning of generation expansion in electrical power systems;
Planning of electro-energetical operation of hydrothermal electric power systems.

3.2 Optimization of Electric Power Systems under Steady-State Conditions
(Professors Geraldo R. M. da Costa, Eduardo N. Asada)

The main activities developed in this research topic involve studies in optimization of electric power yystems under steady-state conditions. The studied themes include:

Optimal power flow;
Economic dispatch;
Optimal dispatch of reactive power;
Sensitivity analysis.

3.3 Electric Power Systems Operation
(Professors Elmer Pablo Tito Cari ; João Bosco A.London Jr.; Luis Fernando Costa Alberto ; Newton Geraldo Bretas ; Rodrigo Andrade Ramos)

The activities developed in this research topic involve studies on the operation of power systems in general. The studied themes include:

Network observability;
Reliability of a measurement set;
Stability studies of electric power systems (transient, small-signal, and voltage stability);
Parameter estimation and power forecast applied to Photovoltaic Systems, Wind Farms, Synchronous Generators, Load Models, etc (Lab. Lacosep);
Dynamic security analysis and control of electrical power systems;

3.4 Digital Protection of Electric Power Systems
(Professors Denis V. Coury, Mário Oleskovicz, José Carlos M. Vieira Jr.)

Development of software for digital protection of several elements of an electrical power systems, according to the tendency of substation automation. Application of algorithms for simulation of systems under fault conditions. This theme involves mainly

Adaptive digital protection;
Neural networks applied to problems of protection systems;
Studies of algorithms for fault location in transmission lines;
Studies of transients in electric power systems;
Simulation of electric power system under fault conditions.

3.5 High Voltage
(Professor Ruy A.C. Altafim)

Studies of causes for overvoltages and damages to electric power systems such as lightning strikes, short circuits and maneuvers. Development of new techniques for tests, measurements in high voltages and grounding of systenms. This theme involves mainly:

Equipment for characterization of electrostatics in insulators;
Studies in liquid, solid and gas dielectrics;
Grounding and soil stratification systems;
Measurement of currents and voltages in transmission and distribution networks using electro-optical systems;
Studies of voltages induced by lightning strikes in distribution lines;
Analysis of insulating materials and mapping of electric and magnetic fields.