and power equipment and can issue control commands, such as tripping circuit breakers, if voltage, current, or frequency anomalies are identified, RTUs and/or IEDs can raise/lower voltage levels to maintain the desired voltage range
17
GIS
Geographic information system
A spatial asset management system that provides utilities with asset information and network connectivity for advanced applications
18
Distribution sensor
A device that measures a physical process and converts it into a signal that can be read by an observer or by an instrument
19
Energy Market Clearinghouse
Wide area energy market operation system providing high‐level market signals for distribution companies (ISO/RTO and utility operations)
21
AMI
Advanced metering infrastructure headend
This system manages the information exchanges between third‐party systems or systems not considered headend, such as the meter data management system (MDMS) and the AMI network
22
Bulk storage management
Provides management for energy storage connected to the bulk power system
23
CIS
Customer Information System
Enterprise‐wide software applications that allow companies to manage aspects of their relationship with a customer
25
Distributed generation and storage management
Distributed generation is the process of generating electricity from many small local energy sources. Storage management enables the efficient integration of distributed generation sources into the grid
27
DMS
Distribution management systems
A suite of application software that supports electric system operations. Example applications include topology processor, online three‐phase unbalanced distribution power flow, contingency analysis, study mode analysis, switch order management, short‐circuit analysis, Volt/VAR management, and loss analysis. These applications provide operations staff and engineering personnel additional information and tools to help accomplish their objectives
29
SCADA
Supervisory control and data acquisition
A supervisory computerized system that that gathers and processes data and applies operational controls for distribution side systems used to control dispersed assets
30
EMS
Energy management system
A system used by electric grid operators to monitor, control, and optimize the performance of the generation and/or transmission system
32
LMS/DRMS
Load management systems/demand response management system
An LMS issues load management commands to appliances or equipment at customer locations in order to decrease load during peak or emergency situations. The DRMS issues pricing or other signals to appliances and equipment at customer locations in order to request customers (or their preprogrammed systems) to decrease or increase their loads in response to the signals
33
MDMS
Meter data management system
System that stores meter data (e.g. energy usage, energy generation, meter logs, meter test results) and makes data available to authorized systems. This system is a component of the customer communication system. This may also be referred to as a billing meter
34
Metering/billing/utility back office
Back office utility systems for metering and billing
36
Outage management system
An OMS is a computer system used by operators of electric distribution systems to assist in outage identification and restoration of power. Major functions usually found in an OMS include: Listing all customers who have outages Prediction of location of fuse or breaker that opened upon failure Prioritizing restoration efforts and managing resources based upon criteria such as location of emergency facilities, size of outages, and duration of outages Providing information on extent of outages and number of customers impacted to management, media, and regulators Estimation of restoration time Management of crews assisting in restoration Calculation of crews required for restoration
39
WAMS
Wide area measurement system
Communication system that monitors all phase measurements and substation equipment over a large geographical base that can use visual modeling and other techniques to provide system information to power system operators
41
Aggregator/retail energy provider
Any marketer, broker, public agency, city, county, or special district that combines the loads of multiple end‐use customers in facilitating the sale and purchase of electric energy, transmission, and other services on behalf of these customers
42
Billing
An entity that performs the function of generating an invoice to obtain payment from the customer
43
ESP
Energy service provider
Provides retail electricity, natural gas, and clean energy options, along with energy efficiency products and services
44
Third party
A third party providing a business function outside of the utility
45
PMU
Phasor measurement unit
A device that measures the electrical parameters of an electricity grid with respect to universal time (UTC) such as phase angle, amplitude, and frequency to determine the state of the system
48
Security/network/system management
An entity that monitors and configure the security, network, and system devices
Figure 1.10 shows a high‐level view of information network and existing applications mapped to Smart Grid domains. An information network is a collection, or aggregation, of interconnected computers, communication devices, and other information and communication technologies. Technologies in a network exchange information and share resources.