The journey to the centralized CIM based network data model management at ONCOR

Transmission and distribution network models are required to support wide range of applications that include Energy Management Systems, Distribution Management Systems, Operator Training Simulators and Transmission Planning. The CIM standard has helped to standardize the exchange of the network models between these systems. However, there are as many methods for constructing these models as there are systems and organizations that need them. Each application can require different levels of detail about the underlying electrical network and equipment. Additionally, different models describing the same networks and equipment may use different hierarchies, classes, attributes, associations, and nomenclature. All of these differences in modeling requirements make it difficult to ensure consistency of the network model between each usage. This paper describes the processes and tools created for centralizing, into a single location, the support and maintenance of operational network models developed by Oncor.