Common Information based on CIM approach : Is it a dream or a reality? Remaining challenges based on concrete experience

This paper would like to give an overview of what has been accomplished by Electricite de France regarding IEC CIM standard and what are the remaining challenges. EDF would like to automate its business processes. Accordingly, EDF R&D has started Cimergy project in 2004 in order to establish a methodology, tools, and standards for implementing a semantic-based integration infrastructure. Two approaches have been retained by EDF R&D to get a concrete feedback on CIM implementation. The first approach, is a top-down approach which explains how we can derive messages from an information model based on CIM. The methodology is based on the UN-CEFACT core component technical specification. This methodology has been retained in Europe by ETSO which has defined several message schemas. The key idea is that the CIM could play the role of the core component model of the electrical industry. The second one is a bottom-up approach based on field driven specific application, combined with participation to CIM EPRI interoperability tests. This paper highlights which CIM interfaces have been deployed by EDF Distribution, and which projects are under development. In parallel of these internal developments, EDF R&D has participated to several studies at the international level in order to harmonize standards in Europe : at ETSO level where ETSO Scheduling System message has been derived from CIM model, and at UCTE level, where EDF R&D has shown that the UCTE Data Exchange Format could also be derived from CIM model. At the end we try to give an overview of the remaining challenges and new R&D project under development.