First EMS experience building, validating and maintaining a network model using CIM

NSTAR is an investor owned utility transmitting and delivering electricity and gas to customers in Eastern and Central Massachusetts. In the process of becoming a Local Control Center, which allows NSTAR to work more closely with the Independent System Operator - New England (ISO-NE), NSTAR upgraded its SCADA system and added an integrated Energy Management System (EMS) in 2007. In anticipation of future extensions, to save time and effort, and to adhere to best practices, NSTAR constructed its EMS transmission network model by expanding the ISO-NE EMS operational model. This process utilized the IEC 61970 series of international standards for EMS control center application program interfaces. The objective of this paper is to share practical experience of building, validating and maintaining an EMS network model using the IEC Common Information Model (CIM), to highlight integration challenges, to discuss CIM Model issues and to identify potential future model management improvements.