The PSCAD/EMTDC users' spectrum includes engineers from utilities, manufacturers, consultants, and research and academic institutions. It is used in planning, operation, design, commissioning, preparation of tender specifications, teaching and research. The following are samples of types of studies routinely conducted using PSCAD:

• Find over-voltages in a power system due to a fault or breaker operation. Transformer non-linearity (i.e., saturation) is a critical factor and is represented. Multiple run facilities are often used to run hundreds of simulations to find the worst case when varying the point on wave of the fault, type of fault, or location of the fault

• Find over-voltages in a power system due to a lightning strike. This simulation would be performed with a very small time step (nano-seconds)

• Find the harmonics generated by a SVC, HVDC link, STATCOM, machine drive (virtually any power electronic device) using accurate models of thyristors, GTOs, IGBTs, diodes, etc. along with the detailed control systems, analog or digital

• Find the maximum energy in a surge arrester for a given disturbance

• Tune and design control systems for maximum performance. Multiple run facilities are often used here as well to automatically adjust gains and time constants

• Investigate the Sub-Synchronous Resonance (SSR) effect when a machine and a multi-mass turbine system interact with series compensated lines or power electronic equipment. Control systems can also be modified to investigate possible SSR mitigation methods

• Modeling of STATCOMs or Voltage Source Converters with their detailed control models

• Study interactions between SVCs, HVDC and other non-linear devices

• Investigate instabilities due to harmonic resonance or control interactions

• Investigate the pulsing effects of diesel engines and wind turbines on the electric network

• Perform Insulation coordination studies

• Variable speed drives of various types including cycloconverters and transportation and ship drives.

• Industrial systems including compensation controllers, drives, electric furnaces, filters, etc.

• Feeds to isolated loads

• Study the transient effects of distributed generation such as wind and micro-turbines on the grid.

• Capacitor switching transients

• Effect of transmission line imbalances on the system performance during contingencies

• Root cause analysis of failure of equipment such as transformers, bushings, capacitors, breakers, arrestors, measurement devices, due to transient overvoltages

• Grid interaction studies of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) integration

• Evaluation of Maximum Allowable Distance (MAD) as per OSHA requirements due to transient overvoltage (TOV) in the transmission system

• Fast Bus Transfer studies for critical process and power plants

• Detailed analysis of protective relay system testing where effect of transient behavior of the grid needs to be considered in relay settings