Via Certification and Collaboration
Brian Deaver is EPRI senior technical executive of distribution, operations, and planning.
The electric power industry is experiencing a transformation unlike any in its history. The integration of renewable energy, increasing demand, electrification, and weather extremes are reshaping the distribution grid at an unprecedented pace. Utilities face mounting pressure to deliver reliable, resilient, and cost-effective service, while adapting to new technologies and customer expectations.
Two EPRI initiatives — the Distribution System Operator (DSO) Certification Program and the Distribution Forum (DxF) — are helping utilities address this challenge by enhancing practices, procedures, training, and methods, benefitting industry and the public.
Standardizing Excellence: The DSO Certification Program
Historically, the role of the DSO has lacked consistency across utilities. Titles, responsibilities, and training programs varied widely, creating gaps in competency and challenges for hiring, retention, and career development.
Unlike transmission operators, who follow rigorous North American Electric Reliability Corporation certification standards, DSOs had no industry-wide credential to validate their skills. This inconsistency poses risks to reliability and safety in an increasingly complex grid environment.