Book excerpt: The control of power systems and power plants is a subject of worldwide interest which continues to sustain a high level of research, development and application in many diverse yet complementary areas. Papers pertaining to 13 areas directly related to power systems and representing state-of-the-art methods are included in this volume. The topics covered include linear and nonlinear optimization, static and dynamic state estimation, security analysis, generation control, excitation and voltage control, power plant modelling and control, stability analysis, emergency and restorative controls, large-scale sparse matrix techniques, data communication, microcomputer systems, power system stabilizers, load forecasting, optimum generation scheduling and power system control centers. The compilation of this information in one volume makes it essential reading for a comprehension of the current knowledge in the field of power control.