SUMMER INTERNSHIP STRENGTHENS REAL-TIME SIMULATION AUTOMATION AT R&D NESTER

Between 22 June and 14 August 2026, Nuno Bonacho, a final-year Master’s student in Electrical Engineering at the Lisbon School of Engineering (ISEL), completed a summer internship at R&D Nester, focused on updating and automating the digital model of part of the Portuguese National Transmission Network (RNT), implemented on the OPAL-RT HYPERSIM real-time simulation platform.

The work focused on a previously developed model of the North-Central area of the Portuguese RNT, used to perform load flow, short-circuit and electromagnetic transient studies under scenarios with high levels of renewable energy integration.

During the internship, the network model was updated from its 2022 configuration to reflect the 2025 network, the technical parameters of transmission lines and transformers were reviewed, and the model was reorganised into modular subsystems, facilitating its maintenance and future expansion.

These developments were based on the latest publicly available technical information on the RNT, including the Portuguese National Electricity Transmission Network Development and Investment Plan (PDIRT-E).

One of the internship’s main outcomes was the development of Python-based processes to automate the preparation, execution and organisation of simulations.

The new workflow enables users to select the substation and fault types to be analysed, define the location of short circuits along transmission lines, run a load flow calculation before the simulations, and export the results in a structured and traceable manner.

A tool was also developed to automatically generate ScopeView visualisation templates for new substations.

The work reduced the need for manual changes, improved the consistency and reproducibility of the studies, and established a more robust and flexible foundation for future developments of R&D Nester’s digital twin of the Portuguese transmission network.

Throughout the internship, Nuno Bonacho strengthened his skills in power system modelling, real-time simulation, network studies using OPAL-RT HYPERSIM, Python programming and the automation of technical processes.

The internship stood out for its combination of electrical engineering and software development, contributing both to the intern’s professional development and to the enhancement of R&D Nester’s technical capabilities.