The breadth and speed of the digital change and transformation taking place within electric distribution are unparalleled. What started as a series of initial innovations like smart meters and smart switches rapidly progressed to the introduction of significantly more sophisticated and complex distribution solutions. Electric distribution operations control centers evolved from wall maps and printed trouble tickets to outage management systems (OMS). Moreover, control centers are quickly embracing and investing in advanced distribution management systems (ADMS).

Amid the industry-wide rapid transition to ADMS, utilities are struggling with the speed of change and the associated disruption to the control room and operations, as compared to what was traditionally only incremental change in the previous decades. Internally for utilities, the disruption takes the shape of multi-year and diverse projects, stacked into aggressive implementation and deployment timelines.

The industry now recognizes that successful transition to ADMS demands utilities build and maintain a workforce competent in ADMS. Ensuring successful adoption is difficult because the long-standing set of criteria used to determine success within power distribution is rapidly transforming into a whole new set of standards and competencies dictated by ADMS. The transition has been challenging to the industry and its workforce. Such challenges are due in large part to the volume and pace of change, as well as the industry’s limitation of internal resources to provide the competency and training expertise needed.
 

ADMS fundamentally changes and advances how a utility operates and manages its electric grid to ensure consistent, uninterrupted, resilient and high-quality power. Typically, changes incurred from ADMS implementation include distribution SCADA, advanced applications and outage management. Exacerbating such changes is the regular occurrence that field applications and companion web-based solution components often extend to a diverse set of user roles.

Within utility organizations, the impact of ADMS-related changes to people, processes and technology cuts across multiple divisions, service centers, departments and roles. Impacted workstreams include telecommunication and control room technicians, planning and area engineers, geographic information system (GIS) mappers, operators, dispatchers and field operations.

Utilities vary in their established internal processes and protocol for hiring and training distribution controllers and operators. Roles within the control room are often rigidly structured and organized, resulting in much time and effort to enact any level of change to the role requirements or tasks performed. In some cases, foundational competencies necessary for working in an ADMS system are gaps in control center job classifications. The successful training and transition of employees to ADMS is difficult due to the magnitude of ADMS’s reach and the fact that ADMS completely redefines multiple existing job functions across already complex business processes within a utility. The changes incurred when implementing ADMS impact every aspect of a utility's distribution network and associated job responsibilities. For example, the network model used in distribution operations resides inside ADMS and includes the inputs from GIS, SCADA and, potentially, other information technologies.

Additionally, the depth and critical nature of the industry’s convergence between operations technology and information technology brought on by ADMS significantly impacts a broad spectrum of roles within the utility. Successful training solutions must understand and embrace this convergence to produce the level of understanding and competency needed for successful ADMS adoption across the organization.

Transitioning to ADMS is costly, and user adoption, success and ROI are not guaranteed. Utilities that enter into ADMS implementation without an understanding of the level of complexity and effort required for a successful transition, including the critical need for role-based employee training across multiple roles and workstreams, are at significant risk of limited adoption and potential failure in gaining the sought-after benefits from an ADMS investment.

Beyond the control room

ADMS can completely or partially replace or consolidate multiple legacy grid management systems, which no longer integrate with new grid management technologies. ADMS also introduces new functionality and provides real-time optics, transparency and detailed information needed to manage all aspects of grid operations.

Because of the magnitude of change associated with the transition, utilities that focus their ADMS training solely on the control room will significantly compromise success across the enterprise. For example, if the ADMS implementation includes electronic switch order management and safety documents, then the following could be impacted:

• Safety policies and procedures related to lockout / tagout and clearances.
   
• How field positions like an electric foreman, troubleshooter and substation operator request and execute switching and request clearances.
   
• How telecommunications, control and SCADA resources are impacted by provisioning and commissioning new devices.
   

ADMS also significantly impacts field operations. For example, when an electric foreman and crew need to do work in the distribution system where automation is enabled, the individuals must have a working knowledge of the processes, procedures and equipment impacted as a necessary minimum requirement for worker safety. If the field worker is using a companion ADMS client in the field, the level of knowledge and understanding needed to incorporate new technology into existing work practices is significant and requires detailed training.

Embracing and leveraging the interdependencies required for success

ADMS implementations and associated training must be orchestrated carefully because ADMS impacts every job role and business process associated with distribution. Entering into training efforts without acknowledging, understanding, and embracing the inherent system interdependencies will lead to workforce frustration, alienation and confusion. Organizational leadership’s commitment to ensuring training efforts proactively address the technology, people and process requirements for success is essential. In most ADMS implementations, the amount of training required is more than expected and includes significantly more roles than expected.
 

 
Industry trends show that ADMS is and will increasingly become an essential and very powerful asset used by utilities to respond to the rapidly evolving distribution landscape. Effective role-based training associated with all elements of ADMS and all work streams impacted by ADMS is critical for success. Lessons learned from utilities and vendors out in front in ADMS are extremely beneficial and should be sought out well in advance if possible.