Open Systems International, Inc. has made significant enhancements to its Monarch control system architecture to support smart grid initiatives. OSI’s Monarch/SGP (monarchSmart Grid Platform) offers a solid, elastic and highly scalable platform for utilities that intend to embark on various Smart Grid initiatives.

OSI’s vision of the "utility of the future" is a modern, agile and progressive enterprise that embraces modern technology, end-to-end integration with suppliers and customers, maintains a substantial renewable energy portfolio and customer-friendly demand response programs, as well as other smart grid initiatives. OSI believes it is time for a new generation of more intelligent systems, operating platforms and application software that proactively manage grid reliability, grid security and consumer initiatives. Growth and maintenance of utilities’ smart grid operations will necessitate powerful and super-scalable automation systems that can handle demanding real-time operations while retaining flexibility to adapt as new technologies continue to emerge.

OSI’s Monarch/SGP converges on three independent areas of the smart grid:

• Hyper scalability is built into the platform to support up to multiples of millions of data measurement points.

• Expanded communications and interfaces are developed to support a wide variety of new devices, meters and phasor measurements, as well as home automation and enterprise integration adaptors.

• A new generation of analytic applications (Analytics), business intelligence applications and advanced user interfaces are being developed to address the analyses, optimization and situational awareness reporting of all aspects of transmission, distribution and consumer realms and asset management.

“Built on the existing popular Monarch platform, Monarch/SGP allows OSI users to incrementally embark on new smart grid initiatives with confidence that their investment in a common corporate automation platform is protected. The elasticity of the platform and plug-compatible applications will allow users to grow their involvement in smart grid initiatives without technical hindrance,” said Brian Rasefske, vice president of engineering at OSI.