Governance of data and information management in smart distribution grids: Increase efficiency by balancing coordination and competition

Smart grids should increase efficiency by enhancing coordination at the electricity distribution grid level and facilitating new market competition for services on a level playing field. Information management has become a new task in the electricity supply chain and an essential component of smart grids. Governance of information management should balance the goals of coordination and competition. Based on the analysis in this paper, existing participants in the electricity supply chain and the corresponding governance approaches appear to be unsuited to this goal and new governance approaches and roles are needed.