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SMART INFRASTRUCTURE & CONNECTED ASSETS T he concept of exibility across networks encompasses the movement towards systems and infrastructure that are simulta- neously more reliable and more responsive to shi ing demands. According to Scottish and Southern Elec- tricity Networks (SSEN), the last six months have seen a signi• cant step up in the transi- tion to a exible network across the UK. In December 2018, a ra of distribution network operators (DNOs) joined SSEN in a " exibility • rst" commitment. "This means that we have committed to assessing smart exibility ser- vice markets when reviewing requirements for building signi• cant new electricity network infrastructure," explains Stewart Reid, head of DSO and innovation at SSEN. Flexibility services Three years ago, the company pioneered the concept of the Constraint Managed Zone (CMZ). A CMZ is a geographic region served by an existing network where security of NETWORK / 20 / MARCH 2019 Mapping out the future As regulatory pressures mount and the political climate remains divisive, network operators share a common objective that remains comparatively steady against this backdrop of uncertainty. The shared goal to deliver the smart cities of the future relies heavily on the transition to smart, connected networks that embrace the benefi ts of digitalisation and new technologies, while responding to the evolving role of the consumer and changing demand profi les. Nadine Buddoo reports. SSEN's My Electric Avenue scheme involved trials to discover the impact that charging clusters of EVs might have on local electricity networks at peak times.