Achieving Uniformly Accurate and Up-to-date Models in Large Interconnected Power Systems

As a general rule, each entity involved in owning, operating, or planning an interconnected power grid requires a computer model of the grid that overlaps heavily (in terms of data content) with the models required by the other grid entities. One of the objectives of the CIM standards community is to perfect a standard that allows utilities to share data in a manner that improves the efficiency, consistency and accuracy of these models. Initially, CIM groups proposed a standard based on exchanging whole power flow cases, leaving the rest of model sharing processes for the practitioners to work out. Actual practice has revealed shortcomings in this limited approach, and additions to the standards have recently been proposed and accepted. In order to take full advantage of these changes, entities in the interconnection need to adopt business practices that are consistent with the design of the standards. The purpose of this paper is to outline how the new standards can be put into effective use.