Driven by the rapid adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs), the energy grid is evolving at an unprecedented pace, pushing utilities to rethink how they manage, monitor, and optimize their networks for a more dynamic and decentralized future. Transitioning to DER-aware operations requires a structured approach that integrates technology, data management, and regulatory alignment. Dr. Mani Vadari, Founder and President, Modern Grid Solutions, shared a clear strategy for utilities to navigate this transition effectively in Survalent’s Exploring the Utiliverse podcast and a panel session at the Survalent Global User Conference.  

Using this roadmap, utilities can take deliberate, strategic steps toward integrating DERs while maintaining grid reliability and efficiency.

Step 1: Strengthening the Grid Foundation

Before utilities can fully embrace DERs, they must first ensure that their grid infrastructure is prepared for the added complexity. Key foundational steps include:

• Upgrading ADMS and SCADA systems: Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and modern SCADA platforms provide the visibility and control needed for DER integration

• Deploying real-time sensors and automation: Utilities must enhance their infrastructure with sensors, smart inverters, and control systems to monitor grid conditions accurately

• Improving GIS and network model accuracy: Reliable grid models are essential for understanding energy flow and maintaining stability as more DERs come online

Dr. Vadari emphasized that without a strong foundation, utilities will struggle to manage the bidirectional energy flows introduced by DERs. Modernizing grid technologies today lays the groundwork for adopting more advanced capabilities in the future, allowing utilities to adapt seamlessly to evolving energy demands.

Step 2: Data-Driven Decision Making

Data is the key to optimizing DER integration. Utilities must develop robust data management strategies that enable real-time analysis and forecasting. Essential actions in this step include:

• Centralizing data streams: By integrating SCADA, AMI, weather data, and DER telemetry into a single platform, utilities gain a unified view of grid operations. Real-time displays combine operational views, single-line diagrams, and GIS overlays to show SCADA and DER performance side by side – helping operators quickly assess asset status and maintain grid reliability

• Leveraging AI and machine learning: By using AI-powered platforms, such as Survalent’s Themis, utilities can process large datasets to enhance forecasting accuracy and support proactive grid management

• Automating data validation: Ensuring data quality by eliminating inconsistencies between as-built and as-operated grid models is crucial for reliable DER operations

One way utilities can achieve this is by leveraging the integration of SurvalentONE ADMS and Synergy DERMS solutions, which bridge the gap between traditional grid operations and the growing role of distributed energy. The seamless interoperability of SurvalentONE ADMS and Synergy DERMS transcends traditional grid management by integrating DER-aware capabilities into real-time operations, providing utilities with unparalleled visibility and control over both centralized and decentralized energy resources.

With advanced data analytics capabilities, Synergy DERMS has the potential to improve situational awareness by helping utilities gain deeper insights into load fluctuations, demand patterns, and energy distribution efficiency. Events and sequence-of-events (SOE) tracking for DER data are recorded alongside SCADA data, ensuring a comprehensive event history that can be filtered by region, user type, or contextual right-click actions on animated elements. This integrated approach helps operators streamline their workflows and quickly identify root causes when incidents occur.

Through advanced automation and intelligent control algorithms, Survalent supports grid stability by helping utilities adapt to the variable nature of renewable energy sources. SurvalentONE ADMS and Synergy DERMS enable utilities to balance day-to-day operational demands with long-term energy goals delivering enhanced resilience, reliability, and efficiency through a unified interface built for coordinated, real-time response.

Step 3: Enhancing Grid Resilience with DER Awareness

As more distributed energy resources (DERs) connect to the grid, utilities are under pressure to strengthen grid resilience and improve operational agility. While full DER-aware automation is still an emerging capability, utilities can begin laying the groundwork through:

• Optimizing voltage regulation: Solutions such as SurvalentONE Volt/VAR Optimization (VVO) and SurvalentONE Dynamic Voltage Regulation (DVR) assist in maintaining voltage levels within safe limits, even as the grid becomes more dynamic
• Monitoring DER activity: As DER adoption grows, visibility into both front-of-the-meter and behind-the-meter assets becomes increasingly important. Solutions like Synergy DERMS are designed to help utilities manage and monitor DERs from a centralized platform
• Planning for future coordination: While advanced DER coordination strategies like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) are still evolving, having a scalable DERMS platform allows utilities to explore these possibilities as regulatory frameworks and operational needs evolve

With the right foundation in place, utilities can move closer to achieving grid resilience in the face of growing complexity – without overcommitting to capabilities that are still maturing.

Synergy DERMS in combination with SurvalentONE SCADA, provides a unified platform for DER monitoring, data management, alarm management, and control. This eliminates the complexity of managing disparate systems, enabling operators to oversee both front-of-the-meter (FTM) DERs (i.e. utility-scale) and behind-the-meter (BTM) DERs (i.e. residential scale) directly from a single interface. This helps ensure that utilities maintain operational stability amid increasingly complex energy flows. Synergy DERMS extends the capabilities of SurvalentONE ADMS by adding DER-specific monitoring and control functions, supporting utilities in optimizing voltage regulation and preparing for more advanced demand response strategies.

SurvalentONE ADMS and Synergy DERMS equip utilities with tools to manage increasing DER complexity. By adding centralized DER monitoring and control – including visibility into both front-of-the-meter (FTM) and behind-the-meter (BTM) assets – utilities can make more informed operational decisions and begin preparing for greater grid flexibility as energy demands evolve.

Step 4: Regulatory and Workforce Readiness

The regulatory environment and workforce capabilities must evolve alongside technological advancements. To prepare for this shift, utilities should:

• Engage with policymakers: Regulatory frameworks, such as FERC Order 2222, are shaping the role of DERs in wholesale markets. Utilities must collaborate with regulators to ensure alignment

• Invest in workforce training and documentation: As experienced grid operators retire, utilities need to invest in training programs and robust documentation to equip new team members with the necessary skills for managing modern grid operations, including DERs. Resources like the Survalent Knowledge Base can support onboarding and reduce reliance on institutional memory by providing centralized access to product information and operational procedures.
• Utilize external expertise: Partner with vendors and consultants to accelerate DER readiness by leveraging industry best practices.

SurvalentONE ADMS and Synergy DERMS solutions are designed with scalability and adaptability at their core, ensuring utilities can seamlessly advance their operations in tandem with evolving regulatory requirements and workforce challenges. Survalent’s modular platform is designed to support evolving regulatory requirements, helping utilities prepare for the integration and management of DERs as policies and market structures continue to shift. The modular architecture of SurvalentONE ADMS complemented with Synergy DERMS functionality – allows utilities to incrementally adopt advanced DER-related capabilities, aligning technology upgrades with regulatory changes and workforce development priorities.

As utilities adapt to an evolving energy landscape, Survalent supports their transition by providing access to product documentation and operational guidance through the Survalent Knowledge Base.  Such resources can help utilities onboard personnel and maintain consistency across teams.

Step 5: Building a Long-Term Journey Map

Rather than treating DER integration as a one-time project, utilities must view it as a continuous evolution. Creating a DER journey map allows utilities to:

• Plan for future DER growth: Anticipating increased solar, wind, and storage adoption helps utilities align investments with future needs

• Incorporate emerging technologies: Long-term strategies should prioritize next-generation DERMS, cloud-based systems, and – where applicable – AI-driven optimization.

• Adapt to changing energy demands: Large-scale electrification, such as EV adoption and data center expansion, will significantly impact grid operations in the coming years.

Survalent’s modular platform gives utilities the flexibility to begin planning their transition toward DER-aware operations, allowing them to align current investments with evolving grid needs and long-term goals.

A Future-Ready Grid Starts Today

The shift to DER-aware operations is inevitable. By strengthening grid foundations, leveraging data intelligence, enhancing automation, aligning regulatory frameworks, and developing long-term strategies, utilities can ensure a seamless transition to a more distributed and resilient grid. This roadmap not only outlines a clear path for navigating change but also highlights the importance of balancing innovation with practical implementation, ensuring that utilities remain agile and resilient in a rapidly evolving energy environment.

Survalent provides the technological backbone essential for the seamless transformation of utility operations in a DER-enabled future. By unifying Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) capabilities under one scalable platform, Survalent ensures utilities achieve deeper visibility into their energy networks. This integration supports more informed decision-making and improved energy distribution management. With SurvalentONE ADMS as the operational foundation and Synergy DERMS as an add-on for DER monitoring and control, utilities can begin preparing for increased load variability, optimize voltage regulation, and strengthen operational resilience as distributed resources grow.

To gain deeper insights into how industry leaders are navigating this transformation, listen to the full Exploring the Utiliverse podcast episodes featuring Dr. Mani Vadari.

Episode 1

Episode 2