Work Group 4 addresses the use and impact of the Information and Communication Technologies as a pervasive tool along the entire value chain of the power generation, transportation and use. The communication layer is one of the pillars of the smart energy system, enabling system observability, monitoring, control and protection, specifically enabling a radical change in the relation between the final user and the energy system. New digital tools (i.e. from smart meters to social networks) linked to the Internet of Things will aim to favour Customer participation in all stages of the development and expansion of the energy system thanks to the analysis of big data generated. The widespread use of digital technologies however needs to be accompanied by suitable measures for data and information protection from malicious intrusions and attacks (cybersecurity) and from uncontrolled use of customers data (data privacy). In particular, WG4 follows on:

• The full digitalization of both the transmission and the distribution networks with new ICT infrastructures Cybersecurity issues linked to Use of big data, IoT and High Performances Computing;
• ICT infrastructures and technologies that will allow the involvement of the end customers and the retail market players;
• The retail electricity markets empowering customers (favourable environment to choose electricity suppliers and to better control consumptions through new services provided by new market players);
• The Improvement of public awareness of long-term energy challenges and the need to build and protect transmission infrastructure to increase the social benefit of energy use.

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