Very short term load prediction in an energy management system

1. A method of energy management and short term load prediction in a power system, comprising the steps of:

dividing a time period into a plurality of sub-periods;

using a plurality of neural networks, each of the plurality of neural networks comprising a plurality of neurons to predict a short term load demand on the power system, the sub-periods being further divided into predicting intervals and assigning one of the plurality of neural networks to each of the plurality of sub-periods;

receiving historical load data and a short term load forecast (STLF) for a STLF interval which is greater than or equal to the largest prediction interval; and

using the output of each of the plurality of neural networks to predict the short term load demand in each predicting interval.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of using a decision algorithm module to process the plurality of outputs from each of the plurality of neural networks.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of weighting the inputs between a first neuron and a second neuron within at least one of the plurality of neural networks.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of overlapping a first sub-period and a second and adjacent sub-period.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein in the step of overlapping comprises overlapping the first sub-period with the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 30 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of overlapping a sub- period at a first end with a first sub-period and a second end with a second and adjacent sub-period.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the overlapping of the sub-period with the first sub-period and the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 30 minutes.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein in the step of overlapping comprises overlapping the first sub-period with the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 15 minutes.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of overlapping a sub- period at a first end with a first sub-period and a second end with a second and adjacent sub-period.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the overlapping of the sub-period with the first sub-period and the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 15 minutes.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein the prediction interval is at least one minute.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of conforming the prediction interval predictions with the short term load forecast, the short load forecast covering a period of less than or equal to 1 hour.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of conforming to the short term load forecast requires that the total of the summation of all actual load values for a time prior to or equal to an instant in time within a current sub-period and the summation of the product of a scaling factor and predicted load values for the time remaining within the sub-period equals the value of the forecasted short term load forecast.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the scaling factor is dynamically time varying between prediction intervals.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the scaling factor is substantial equal to one.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the scaling factor changes as a function of immediately past actual load values and forecasted load values for each of the prediction intervals.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the past actual load values exclude load values of non-conforming loads.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of:

dividing a time period into a plurality of sub-periods;

using a plurality of neural networks, each of the plurality of neural networks comprising a plurality of neurons to predict a short term load demand on the power system, the sub-periods being further divided into predicting intervals and assigning one of the plurality of neural networks to each of the plurality of sub-periods;

receiving historical load data and a short term load forecast (STLF) for a STLF interval which is greater than or equal to the largest prediction interval; and

using the output of each of the plurality of neural networks to predict the short term load demand in each predicting interval.

19. A system for predicting short term loads within an energy management system of a power system, comprising:

a processor for dividing a time period into a plurality of sub-periods and prediction intervals; and

a plurality of neural networks, each of the plurality of neural networks comprising a plurality of neurons to predict a short term load demand on the power system, the sub-periods being further divided into predicting intervals and assigning one of the plurality of neural networks to each of the plurality of sub- periods;

the processor, receiving and processing historical load data and a short term load forecast (STLF) for a STLF interval which is greater than or equal to the largest prediction interval; and

using the output of each of the plurality of neural networks to predict the short term load demand in each predicting interval.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising a decision algorithm module in communication with the processor to process the plurality of outputs from each of the plurality of neural networks.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein at least one neural network is operative for weighting the inputs between a first neuron and a second neuron within at least one of the plurality of neural networks.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein the processor is operative for overlapping a first sub-period and a second and adjacent sub-period.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein overlapping comprises overlapping the first sub-period with the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 30 minutes.

24. The system of claim 19 wherein the processor is operative for overlapping, and overlapping comprises overlapping a sub-period at a first end with a first sub-period and a second end with a second and adjacent sub-period.

25. The system of claim 24 , wherein overlapping comprises overlapping of the sub-period with the first sub-period and the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 30 minutes.

26. The system of claim 22 , wherein overlapping comprises overlapping the first sub-period with the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 15 minutes.

27. The system of claim 19 further wherein the processor is operative for overlapping and overlapping comprises overlapping a sub-period at a first end with a first sub-period and a second end with a second and adjacent sub-period.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the overlapping of the sub-period with the first sub-period and the second and adjacent sub-period by at least 15 minutes.

29. The system of claim 23 , wherein the prediction interval is at least one minute.

30. The system of claim 19 , further comprising the step of conforming the prediction interval predictions with the short term load forecast, the short load forecast covering a period of less than or equal to 1 hour.

31. The system of claim 30 , wherein the processor is operative for conforming to the short term load forecast requires that the total of the summation of all actual load values for a time prior to or equal to an instant in time within a current sub-period and the summation of the product of a scaling factor and predicted load values for the time remaining within the sub-period equals the value of the forecasted short term load forecast.

32. The system of claim 31 , wherein the scaling factor is dynamically time varying between prediction intervals.

33. The system of claim 32 , wherein the scaling factor is substantial equal to one.

34. The system of claim 33 , wherein the scaling factor changes as a function of immediately past actual load values and forecasted load values for each of the prediction intervals.

35. The system of claim 34 , wherein the past actual load values exclude load values of non-conforming loads.