elnätsdesign

elnätsdesign (Swedish for electrical grid design) is the engineering discipline that encompasses the planning, analysis, and design of electrical power networks, from generation connections and high-voltage transmission lines to distribution feeders and substations, including control, protection, and monitoring systems. The aim is to ensure a reliable, safe, and economical supply of electricity while enabling integration of new resources and technologies.

Typical activities include network planning (long-range and mid-term), load-flow and short-circuit studies, optimization of topology and conductor sizing, protection coordination, and reliability analysis. Designers assess siting, routing, environmental and land-use constraints, and the compatibility of equipment with grid codes and standards. Modern elnätsdesign also addresses grid modernization, resilience to extreme weather, cyber-physical security, and the integration of distributed energy resources, energy storage, demand response, and microgrids.

Tools commonly used include power-system simulation and optimization software, such as PSS/E, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, ETAP, or MATLAB/Simulink-based environments. Design work is guided by international and national standards and grid codes from IEC and IEEE, and by regulatory requirements from energy authorities and operators. The field interacts with other disciplines, including civil engineering, protection engineering, and information and communication technology.

Education in elnätsdesign typically stems from electrical engineering or energy systems programs, with coursework in power systems analysis, transmission planning, distribution design, protection and control, and grid integration of renewables. Professionals may work for utilities, consulting firms, or equipment manufacturers, contributing to planning studies, project design, and asset management.