EPRI Announces Distribution System Operator Certification Program

The electric power industry is undergoing a transformative shift, driven by increasing grid complexity and the integration of renewable energy sources, while still providing reliable, affordable energy. At the heart of this evolution is the role of the distribution system operator (DSO), a position critical to managing the modern distribution grid.

Historically, the DSO role has varied widely across utilities, with inconsistent titles, responsibilities, training, and career progression. These inconsistencies prompted EPRI to develop a Distribution System Operator Certification Program, which aims to standardize the DSO role, enhance operator competency, and improve hiring and retention of operators—while enhancing grid reliability, resilience, and safety.

The Need for Standardization

The DSO role has evolved significantly over the decades. Once known as “dispatchers” stationed at construction service centers, DSOs are now based in distribution control centers, managing complex systems with advanced technologies. Throughout this evolution, the industry lacked a unified definition of the DSO role. Key gaps include:

• Varied Titles and Responsibilities. DSOs are known by different titles across utilities, such as distribution operator, control room operator, or system controller, generally without a standardized scope of duties.
• Inconsistent Training. Training programs vary widely and may not address the full spectrum of skills needed for modern grid operations, which are not always veteran field employees.
• Lack of Certification Standards. Unlike transmission operators, who follow the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) rigorous certification process, DSOs have no industry-wide certification to validate their competencies.
• Career Progression. While former generations of control center operators typically remained in the control center for their entire career, newer candidates are looking for advancement.

EPRI’s DSO Certification Program and Objectives

EPRI’s certification program addresses these gaps by establishing a comprehensive framework for DSO standardization. The program builds on extensive research on operator job tasks, and the team collaborates with utilities to develop a common training curriculum. The result is a set of proposed standards for DSO roles and responsibilities and a training curriculum designed to ensure operator proficiency.

The DSO certification program’s key objectives include:

• Standardize Roles and Responsibilities. Define a clear scope of duties, ensuring consistency across utilities.
• Establish a Training Curriculum. Develop a standardized curriculum that covers essential skills, including grid operations, safety protocols, and technology integration.
• Implement a Certification Process. Create a rigorous examination process to certify DSOs, validating their ability to perform critical tasks.
• Support Career Development. Provide a clear career progression path to enhance operator retention and professional recognition.
• Enhance Grid Resilience. Enable DSOs to participate in mutual assistance teams during major events, improving storm restoration and system resilience.

Certification Process

The cornerstone of the program is the EPRI-certified DSO designation, achieved through a comprehensive examination process. The certification exam tests candidates on a range of competencies, including:

• System Operations. Understanding of distribution grid components, load management, and fault response.
• Safety Protocols. Knowledge of safety standards for control center and field interactions.
• Technology Integration. Proficiency in using distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS), advanced distribution management systems (ADMS), and other grid management tools.
• Emergency Response. Ability to coordinate with field crews and mutual assistance teams during outages or major events.

The examination is being designed and refined in collaboration with participating utilities to ensure relevance and rigor. A recertification process will also be established to maintain operator proficiency over time, with periodic updates to reflect evolving industry needs.

Benefits for Stakeholders

Utilities stand to gain from improved human performance and operational efficiency. Standardized certification can enhance hiring by ensuring new operators meet a baseline of competency, even without extensive field experience. By providing professional recognition and a clear career path, the program supports operator retention. Improved operator performance can enhance reliability and safety. Additionally, the ability to share certified DSOs through mutual assistance teams can improve storm restoration and grid resilience.

Certified operators will gain credentials signaling proficiency to employers. Certification offers professional recognition, opportunities for skill development, and may support justification of pay parity with transmission operators, addressing longstanding disparities. By establishing a clear career progression, the program encourages operators to remain in the role, fostering long-term commitment to the industry.

As a result, the public will benefit from a more reliable, resilient, and safe distribution grid. Certified DSOs can better manage complex systems, reduce outages, and improve restoration times. Enhanced safety protocols can minimize risks to field crews and the public, particularly during high-stakes operations, like storm response. As the grid modernizes to support electrification and renewable integration, certified DSOs can be better equipped to ensure stable and efficient operations, benefiting all communities.

Supporting Grid Modernization

Given the rapid modernization of the distribution grid and the adoption of advanced technologies, like distribution automation, DERMS, and ADMS, the certification program is timely. DSOs can be prepared to manage increasingly complex systems, ensuring seamless integration of renewables and supporting electrification initiatives, such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Skill enhancement also addresses the growing need for resilience in the face of extreme weather events, accelerating restoration efforts.

Implementation and Next Steps

The proposed standards for roles and responsibilities, and the training curriculum, are undergoing review and refinement, with input from member utilities. The certification examination is in the design phase, with plans to implement the process in 2026. Participating utilities will play a key role in shaping the examination and recertification process, leveraging their experience to enhance their own training programs. EPRI is also exploring collaborations with industry organizations to facilitate the certification’s adoption across the electric power sector. By aligning with existing standards, such as those set by NERC for transmission operators, EPRI aims to create a cohesive framework for DSO certification across the grid.

For more information on the DSO certification program, contact EPRI Technical Executive Brian Deaver ([email protected]), who is leading this effort.

—POWER edited this content, which was contributed by EPRI’s communications department.