ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications 289 Study Group 5 of the ITU ‐T (Environment and Climate Change) is also introducing a new question on the smart grid. There are initiatives32 that target to group energetic networks as electricity and gas networks. In the Area of Business management, the development of technologies for creating new environments of Network Operation (including simulation tools and estimation states), the Active Demand Management and the Planning and Optimization of Operations, are included. In the area of Platform Integration and Communication, the Focus Group on Smart Grid worked on the proceedings of acquiring and processing information in real time (with the difficulties of the huge volumes of information that will be generated and the criticality of their availability), the necessary infrastructure to management and recharging of electric vehicles and requirements of supervision and control of micro‐grids. These are smart networks of distribution self‐managed locally, so they can function both connected to the distribution network as isolated from it. The Network Intelligent Devices will include new techniques of signals acquisition, the development of smart devices of energetic register and automation of network equipment. The European Commission has done intensive work on the subject; there is a working group on this issue. The Smart Grids Task Force (SGTF) was set up by the European Commission (EC) at the end of 2009. The SGTF reached a consensus over the last two years on policy and regulatory directions for the deployment of Smart Grids. The SGTF has also issued key Recommendations for standardization, consumer data privacy and security. Based on these results, during 2011 the EC has adopted the \"Communication on Smart Grids\" initiative, which issued a Mandate for Smart Grids standards to the European Standardization Organization and created an Inventory of Smart Grid projects and lessons learned in the European Union33. In order to summarize the functionalities of smart grids, this document presents an extraction from \"Definition, Expected Services, Functionalities and Benefits of Smart Grids\" document: A Enabling the network to integrate users with new requirements 1 Facilitate connections at all voltages/locations for all existing and future devices with Smart Grid solutions through the availability of technical data and additional grid information to: ▪ simplify and reduce the cost of the connection process subject to maintain network integrity/safety; ▪ facilitate an 'open platform' approach – close to 'plug & play'; ▪ make connection options transparent; ▪ facilitate connection of new load types, particularly electrical vehicle EV ▪ ensure that the most efficient DER connection strategies can be pursued from a total system perspective. ____________________ 32 As the Spanish Energos Project (led by the distribution of gas and electricity Union Fenosa) is a research project for the development of knowledge and technologies to advance the deployment of smart grid power distribution (Smart‐Grid). It is within the National Strategic Consortia for Technical Research (CENIT) to boost innovation and technological development in key areas of society. The Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) subsidizes half the budget, amounting to 24.3 million euros. 33 http://ec.europa.eu/energy/gas_ electricity/smartgrids/taskforce_ en.htm