Trends and Advances of Enablers for the Energy Transition towards Smart Grids by the DSO

Distribution System Operators (DSOs). It presents a comparative review of trends, regulatory frameworks, and technological advances across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, highlighting the European Union experience and key directives such as 2009/72/EC and 2019/944/EU that have catalyzed large-scale smart meter deployment. Cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) are emphasized as critical tools for assessing AMI investments.

In Latin America, major challenges such as low AMI penetration, high electricity losses, and regulatory gaps persist, although efforts in Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia show progress. Building on these insights, the paper proposes a roadmap for effective AMI deployment aligned with international standards and

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, it clarifies how global standards (SGAM, IEC,

IEEE) and best practices are incorporated into Colombia’s AMI rollout, quantifies benefits such as loss reduction, SAIDI improvement, and ROI, and compares communication technologies for smart meters across Europe to evaluate their applicability in Colombia. Quantitative data and case studies from Europe, the U.S., and Latin America strengthen global relevance and practical applicability.