ETAP

Review

Overview

ETAP is a modular platform for electrical systems, spanning design and engineering through operations and maintenance. Its unified electrical digital twin brings power-system design, analysis, operations, and automation together. ETAP also offers hardware solutions alongside its software.

The product is aimed at utilities, infrastructure, industrial organizations, and buildings. Designers, engineers, and operators can use ETAP tools to model electrical networks, run studies, exchange engineering data, and support grid operations. The company says Operation Technology, Inc. was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

ETAP Power Simulator is designed to predict system behavior, help optimize grid performance, and run predictive simulations offline or in real time. ETAP 2026 analysis capabilities include renewable integration, feeder hosting capacity, Volt-VAR optimization, battery energy storage, and grid-code studies.

Key features

Power-system modeling and studies

ETAP supports schematic capture, panel design, electrical simulation, and standards libraries. Its advanced simulation capabilities are relevant to engineering teams assessing how a network may perform under different conditions. The listed ETAP Power Simulator Launch subscription includes unlimited buses and devices, load flow, short circuit, cable sizing, and data exchange with Excel, AutoCAD, and AVEVA Engineering.

The Grow subscription adds enhanced protection coordination, alongside network modeling, analysis, and simulation. Both named subscriptions are billed by subscription, with annual or multi-year options; prices are not listed.

Data exchange and collaboration

DataX provides interfaces and conversion tools for exchanging information with GIS, BIM, CAD, and legacy engineering tools. Listed connections include Revit, AutoCAD, ESRI ArcMaps, Caneco BT, ERACS, Excel, AVEVA, SmartPlant Electrical, and ArcGIS. ETAP also lists MCAD integration.

NetPM supports multiple users building models, conducting studies concurrently, managing changes, and applying role-based access. The etapAPI RESTful service runs inside DataHub and can be used by ETAP and third-party tools over secure HTTPS connections.

Grid operations and security

ETAP Grid Intelligence lists Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, and REST among its supported protocols, and describes integrations with ADMS/DMS, SCADA, OMS, GIS, and MDMS. Its listed security controls include role-based access, audit trails, single sign-on, and multi-tenant isolation. ETAP says the design is aligned with IEC 62443 and IEC 62351 cybersecurity standards.

Operation Technology, Inc. DBA ETAP holds an ISO 27001:2022 certificate covering design, development, sales, customer support, maintenance, and sensitive information processed by IT systems, networks, and cloud platforms. The certificate expires January 30, 2028. ETAP also says its software quality system is certified to ISO 9001:2015, covering design, development, production, and support.

Support and mobile access

ETAP provides a Help Center, regional technical support centers, and software support assistance. The etapAPP is available for iOS, Windows, and Android tablets; its guide says it can be downloaded at no cost.

Pricing

ETAP is paid software, with pricing available on request and no free plan listed. Prospective customers can request a customized quote by choosing products, bundles, add-ons, license type, duration, and number of users. Prices are not listed for the ETAP Power Simulator Grow and Launch subscriptions, which offer annual or multi-year terms.

ETAP offers free 30-day software demos for ETAP, SEE, and CANECO products. The demo period is a trial rather than a free plan.

Platforms

ETAP lists Android, iOS, web, Windows, and API availability. The mobile etapAPP is specifically listed for iOS, Windows, and Android tablets. ETAP software products list Windows system requirements; ETAP 2026 design and analysis solutions support 64-bit Microsoft Windows 10, Windows 11, and specified Windows Server editions. Deployment is listed as hybrid.

Who it's for

ETAP is suited to electrical designers, engineers, and operators working in utilities, infrastructure, industry, or building environments. Its combination of network modeling, engineering data exchange, power-system studies, and grid-operation integrations is most relevant where teams need to work across design and ongoing system operation. It is specialized electrical engineering software, rather than a general-purpose tool for planning home renovations or selecting construction materials.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Covers design, analysis, operations, and automation within a modular electrical platform.
• Pros: Offers power-system studies, broad engineering-data exchange, and collaboration features for concurrent work.
• Pros: Lists grid protocols, enterprise integrations, and multiple access and audit controls.
• Cons: Pricing is quote-based, and the available facts do not provide subscription prices.
• Cons: Design and analysis products require supported 64-bit Windows systems; mobile access is described for tablets.

Alternatives

For more options, browse our Electrical design software list. Other products in this category include EasyPower, SKM Power*Tools, OrCAD X, EPLAN Electric P8, DIgSILENT PowerFactory, Zuken E3.series, WSCAD ELECTRIX, and Bentley promis.e.

Verdict

ETAP brings electrical-system design, modeling, advanced analysis, engineering-data exchange, and operational integrations into one modular offering. Its tools span predictive studies and grid intelligence, while NetPM and DataX address multi-user work and connections with other engineering systems. The trade-offs are practical: pricing requires a customized quote, and design and analysis use depends on supported Windows environments. For organizations responsible for complex electrical systems across engineering and operations, ETAP offers a broad, specialized toolset; its scope is less relevant to homeowners seeking general renovation-planning software.