The evolution of distribution network management systems

The author describes the evolution and application of network management systems (NMS) which are enabling electrical utilities to improve the efficiency of their subtransmission and distribution operations. Such a system brings great flexibility to operations and it will integrate with work management and facility management systems. Integration with customer services will improve the responsiveness of a utility to its clients. The active network topology provides a platform for advanced control techniques, improvement of security and contingency planning and systems to assist in switching plans and control decisions. The NMS system will form a cornerstone in the development of automatic restoration capabilities. NMS are a cost effective distribution control application