Simulator users are familiar with the array of visualization techniques PowerWorld has applied to power system planning models. Retriever applies PowerWorld visualization techniques to real-time system monitoring, including:

• Animated branch flows that show unequivocally the magnitude and direction of transmission line flows;

• Alarm indicators such as pie charts that indicate the magnitude of branch flow relative to equipment rating and that change in size and color as warning and overload conditions are reached;

• Geographic views with dynamic viewports that support zooming and panning, thus allowing a very large geographic region to be displayed;

• Automatically generated node views that summarize all relevant information concerning a node, including its current measurements, connected equipment, and neighboring nodes;

• Color-coded text analogs that can be used to dramatize alarm conditions;

• Contouring technology that can depict the variation of virtually any power system quantity over a region, including bus voltages, bus marginal prices, loads, generation, and branch flows; and

• Component status highlighting that quickly draws attention to off-line generators and open transmission elements.