IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2016 - 4

from the editor

Mel Olken

when data talks
the Common Information Model makes it happen

The Common Information model (CIm), enabling
data exchanges and interoperability in the electric utility
industry, is the theme of this
issue. Though the terminology
seems simple enough, attainment has been anything but
simple. It has taken many years
and many studies to reach the
stage we are at today, yet the
discussion continues and global
standardization of CIm is an
ongoing project.
With this as background,
Chavdar Ivanov of the european network of Transmission
System operators for electricity (enTSo-e) has undertaken
the presentation of the subject by offering a view of the challenges, possible
applications, and approaches that may
be considered in the complex domain
that constitutes the electric power system. This issue features seven articles
to enlighten the reader about a complex subject. These articles, and an
overview of the subject, are provided
in Chavdar's guest editorial. I urge
the reading of that column to provide
background for the issue.

New PES President
The "Leader's Corner" of this issue features the inaugural column of our new

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2015.2485900
Date of publication: 30 December 2015

ieee power & energy magazine

surprised when I initially read
Joe Cunningham's column
about the electrification history of Brooklyn. I had never
imagined that it could be so different from what took place in
manhattan, two parcels of adjacent land separated by a narrow river. I found Joe's article
most interesting and compelling as it details an approach to
the development of an electric
system that, in retrospect, was
the model that governed developments in most other municipalities throughout the United
States. many thanks to Joe
image licensed by graphic stock
and to Carl Sulzberger, whose
editing skills helped bring the
column
to fruition.
Ieee Power & energy Society (PeS)
President Damir novosel. The column,
which should be required reading for A Continuation
our membership, offers an overview of the Theme
of our Society, where it is today, and our "In my View" column is surely
in what directions it will be moving in an appropriate follow-up to the CIm
the near future. Damir, in addition to theme of this issue. "a Brief history:
reviewing the status of PeS publica- The Common Information model" by
tions and meetings, presents the results Bruce Wallenberg, with collaboration
of a far-reaching Long-range Planning from a number of PeS experts, offers
Committee effort to produce a five- a detailed look at what occurred over a
year plan for PeS. That plan is most considerable period of time to reach the
comprehensive, touching on many, if stage where we find ourselves today. In
not all, of the areas of PeS focus.
this substantive description, Bruce et
al. provide us with an erudite review
of what is proving itself to be cuttingElectrifying Brooklyn
as a new York City native, and believ- edge technology-the enabling of data
ing that I am somewhat knowledgeable exchange and interoperability in the
about some of the "electrical" history electric utility system.
p&e
of my city, I confess to being totally

january/february 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - January/February 2016