Open systems benefit energy control center

The ability to migrate applications among computers of different vendors and different sizes (from PCs to supercomputers), as operating needs change and grow, is described. Utility users want a basis for defining a strategy to update their energy management system (EMS) to be open and for continuous migration of their EMS to meet changing and expanding system operational needs. The questions many utility practitioners have been asking about open systems, standards, architectures, and available choices are addressed. These questions are fundamental to providing a computational application environment in which the tools required for intelligent and adaptive power system control can be operated. These tools are being designed for standards-driven, open-hardware platforms. The open systems movement is discussed, and open systems are defined. The role of standards is examined. Two open EMS architectures favored by leading energy management system suppliers are discussed.<>