Modern electric power distribution systems are data rich and include growing numbers of distributed energy resources and distribution automation. To take advantage of distribution automation and manage growing penetrations of distributed energy resources, distribution utilities need applications for planning and operations that use all available data and may incorporate distributed approaches to operate and control. The industry would benefit from distribution management applications based on a common platform that makes systems of each type interchangeable. This paper describes an approach to enabling cost-effective development and deployment of advanced applications for distribution system planning and operations based on development of an open-source, standards-based platform for application development called GridAPPS-D, which leverages data abstractions for application development based on standards, such as the distribution system common information model.
