Gennady Kovalev graduated from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute as an electrical engineer in 1960, and worked as a senior operational dispatcher in the Irkutsk energy system "Irkutskenergo" for seven years. He was awarded the title of Doctor of Technical Sciences specialising in power plants, networks, electrical systems and their management in October 1999. He is currently a leading researcher at the Institute of Energy Systems (ISEM) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk. His research interests include reliability of electric power systems (EPS), and optimization of EPS reliability during the design, operation and development planning stages. A member of the IEEE, Dr Kovalev has authored or co-authored more than 200 scientific papers, including 19 monographs and 30 publications in international journals. Lyudmila Lebedeva graduated from the faculty of mathematics at Irkutsk State University in 1975. In 1998, she was awarded the title of Doctor of Technical Sciences in the specialty "The use of computers, mathematical modeling and mathematical methods in scientific research (energy)." She currently works at the Institute of Energy Systems (ISEM) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk. Her research interests include optimization techniques, mathematical programming, and reliability of complex electric power systems (EPS). She is a co-author of more than 70 published scientific works, including 6 monographs and several publications in international journals.