Towards CIM implementation challenges in control centers worldwide and Indian power grid

Abstract

Although common information model (CIM) standard has been already a recognized power system domain standard, utilities are facing difficulties in the process of upgrading their software systems on CIM framework. Significant challenges faced by utilities are due to various issues such as legacy of distinct names given to the same power system resource, data silos within different power system applications referring to common network resources and multiple points of data entry. Besides, at an interconnected multi regional network operation, every regional operator responsible for authorizing their internal network model. Such a decentralized model authority scenario realizes ease of managing and monitoring complex power networks. Despite having these advantages, due to having predefined local IDs of power system resources in the internal network models, model merging and splitting are cumbersome while exchanging their models across other regions. These challenges are more prominent in complex power system networks like largely interconnected Indian power grid. Indian power grid is now moving towards adopting CIM framework at regional control centers. This paper presents a comprehensive literature survey on CIM implementations and its practices at power utilities. Moreover, the paper discusses typical challenges like network model exchange and naming schema in the context of Indian power grid.