A region within an electrical distribution grid that acts as a balancing point and diagnostic center for the regions around it. A control center facility is usually situated within the control area to monitor generation, energy flow and distribution in the areas it serves. This center can perform adjustments on the current at interconnection points or warn other facilities when current quality drops below regulated standards. In control areas that also have generating capacity, the control center may feed power into or bleed power out of the system to balance load throughout the region. It may also act as a master or standby switching station for all of the areas it serves, or as a feeder station for the regional grid when additional power is needed outside of the control area.

Control centers are typically operated by individual utilities or power pools, but deregulation may result in increasing numbers of control areas being managed by independent system operators or POOLCOs.

See also: