Generic DACS

Since 1997 ACSI has provided services to the USACE in the area of Hydroelectric Automation. The project is known as Generic Data Acquisition and Control System or GDACS. GDACS got its start after power outages in the Western U.S. in 1996. In the failure analysis of the system outages it was determined that the existing Data Acquisition and Control System (DACS) did not provide a level of control flexibility, response, or information to allow for the highest level of system stability. This led to the recommendation for GDACS as well as many other infrastructure improvements such as excitation systems upgrades and the installation of synchronous condensers.
GDACS is a design effort by the USACE, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), ACSI, and other vendors and suppliers. GDACS is comprised of the following systems:

---

Master Station Applications

• Plant Automatic Generation Control
• Plant Voltage Control
• Dispatch communication to and from the BPA control center
• Spill gate Control to provide constant project flow, forebay level control, and constant spill control.
• Plant Capability calculations
• Power System Reporting
• Advanced operator and technician diagnostics
• Software build system and regression testing

Unit Control

• Closed loop MW and MVAR control
• Synchronous Condenser functionality
• Integrated 3D-Cam
• Unit Start/Synchroniztion/Stop
• Spill gate Control to provide constant project flow, forebay level control, and constant spill control.
• Feed Forward frequency stability
• Alarming
• Spill gate control

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

• Alarm Logging
• Graphical User Interface
• Historical Data Collection