What is the Difference Between ADMS and DERMS?

Fifty percent of electricity will flow directly through distribution by 2030, driven by the rapid proliferation of solar, wind, storage, and electric vehicles. And as the energy transition accelerates, this trend means that distribution grids are becoming increasingly complex.

Utilities now rely on digital command centers powered by Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) and Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS) to manage this new dynamic. While both bring greater grid intelligence and control, their roles, capabilities, and deployment strategies differ.

In this blog, we’ll explore those differences to demonstrate how an integrated ADMS and DERMS ecosystem empowers utilities to balance resilience, flexibility, and sustainability at scale.

Over 90% of new generation interconnection requests are for DERs.

An Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) software is a platform that utilities use to operate the distribution grid with speed, precision, and visibility. It combines network monitoring, real-time control, and advanced analytics within a single interface. This integration makes it possible to manage both traditional assets and growing volumes of distributed energy resources (DERs) like rooftop solar, batteries, and electric vehicles.

Most ADMS platforms are made up of four core functions:

With these tools, ADMS enables functions such as FLISR, volt/VAR optimization (VVO), and conservation voltage reduction (CVR). Together, these capabilities help reduce outage durations, improve power quality, and lower operating costs.

Modern systems like GE Vernova’s ADMS also include built-in Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) functionality, which means operators can monitor, forecast, and manage DERs alongside traditional grid infrastructure. In turn, this supports real-time visibility and management across all assets, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and flexible grid.

A Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) is purpose-built software that helps utilities manage the growing volume of DERs. More than 2 million DERs are already connected to US distribution grids, and this number continues to rise rapidly with increased solar, battery, and EV adoption. Without purpose-built tools like DERMS software, coordinating these assets at scale becomes increasingly unmanageable.

Unlike ADMS, which focuses on grid-wide operations, DERMS is designed to work at the grid edge. It enables utilities to monitor DER performance live, forecast their impact on the system, and adjust their output or behavior when needed. This helps balance supply and demand, alleviate local grid congestion, and support programs like demand response.

GE Vernova’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) can operate on its own or as part of an integrated platform with ADMS, allowing utilities to manage both traditional and distributed assets in a unified way.

Although ADMS and DERMS are often discussed together, they have varying purposes within a utility’s software ecosystem.

1. ADMS vs DERMS - Scope and Focus

ADMS is designed to manage the distribution grid as a whole. It focuses on system-level operations like outage management, voltage optimization, and grid stability. However, DERMS is centered around the control and coordination of DERs, such as assets that operate at the grid edge with rapidly changing behavior.

2. ADMS vs DERMS -Asset Management
ADMS typically manages utility-owned assets such as substations, feeders, and switches. DERMS manages customer- or third -party-owned resources like rooftop solar, residential batteries, EV chargers, and smart thermostats. These resources often sit behind the meter and require more granular, customer-sensitive control.

3. ADMS vs DERMS -Control Capabilities

DERMS supports more frequent and flexible control actions for DERs based on local constraints or market signals;, for example, real-time curtailment, aggregation, and dispatch. ADMS is built for network-level automation, such as fault isolation or load rebalancing across feeders.

4. ADMS vs DERMS -Visibility and Data

ADMS offers a system-wide view of the grid, while DERMS provides visibility into the behavior and impact of individual DERs. Both systems rely on data, but DERMS often needs higher-resolution, edge-level information to make effective decisions.

5. ADMS vs DERMS -Response Timeframes

ADMS is built to respond to events like outages or voltage violations within seconds or minutes. DERMS often operates on shorter cycles, sometimes sub-seconds, which is particularly useful when managing fast-responding assets like batteries or smart inverters.

6. ADMS vs DERMS -Integration Goals

ADMS and DERMS can function independently, but they’re most powerful when integrated. An ADMS with embedded DERMS capabilities, like GE Vernova’s GridOS® platform, enables grid and resource coordination through a single interface to improve situational awareness and reduce system risk.

Integrated ADMS + DERMS systems can reduce peak load by up to 20%.

ADMS and DERMS are enabling utilities to operate more efficiently and respond to grid challenges with greater speed and precision. When integrated, they offer a comprehensive view of both the distribution network and the distributed assets connected to it, which helps utilities deliver more reliable, resilient service while keeping costs in check.

ADMS software improves day-to-day operations by automating key tasks like fault isolation, voltage optimization, and load balancing. In doing so, this reduces manual workloads, shortens outage durations, and improves system performance. DERMS complements this by managing behind-the-meter resources, ensuring they contribute to grid stability rather than adding to operational risk.

Together, the systems enable coordinated control. For example, during peak demand, DERMS can reduce load or dispatch stored energy in real time, while ADMS ensures overall grid conditions remain stable. This level of orchestration helps utilities make better use of existing infrastructure and delay major capital investments.

Customers benefit, too. Integrated systems can restore power faster during outages, improve power quality, and support participation in programs like demand response or local energy markets. With smart grid software, utilities are delivering these benefits at scale, turning complexity at the grid edge into an opportunity for smarter, cleaner energy delivery.

Adopting ADMS and DERMS is a major step toward grid modernization, but the path isn’t without hurdles.

Cost and complexity are two of the biggest barriers. Deploying these systems often involves significant investment, not just in the platforms themselves, but in communications networks, system integration, and device upgrades. For many utilities, especially smaller ones, this can slow rollout.

Data integration is another challenge. ADMS and DERMS rely on accurate, real-time data from across the grid, including smart meters, sensors, DERs, and SCADA systems. Bringing all of that together, particularly across legacy infrastructure, can be difficult, especially considering only 13% of utilities currently have DER hosting capacity across more than half of their feeders.

With increased data management and Internet connections comes the added risk of cybersecurity threats. Each new DER connection becomes a potential entry point for a cyber criminal, increasing the complexity of securing grid operations. In fact, utilities now face an average of 1,200 cyberattacks per week , placing added pressure on the urgency to secure systems.

Organizational readiness also matters. New systems mean new workflows and responsibilities. Utilities need to invest in training, adjust operations, and ensure teams across IT and grid operations are aligned. Whether implementing a standalone DERMS software or a full ADMS utility upgrade, buy-in across departments is key.

Evolving standards and regulations add further complexities. Utilities need to navigate shifting regulatory landscapes, as standards for DER integration, cybersecurity, and interoperability change. With new regulations and standards comes uncertainty to long-term planning and system design.

The continued growth of distributed energy resources is reshaping how utilities plan, operate, and invest. To manage this shift, utilities need to look beyond hardware upgrades. Instead, they need a strategic approach that combines modern infrastructure with flexible, future-ready software systems.

This means integrating platforms like ADMS and DERMS together, as part of a unified grid operations strategy. Planning ahead for interoperability, real-time visibility, and scalable control capabilities allows utilities to adapt as grid complexity increases. It also helps meet evolving regulatory requirements and tap into market opportunities, while at the same time, delivering better service to customers.

GE Vernova’s GridOS reflects this strategic approach. With a modular architecture that combines ADMS with built-in DERMS, GridOS enables utilities to manage traditional grid assets and distributed resources together, supporting faster decision-making and a cleaner energy future.

Download our ADMS + DERMS whitepaper to explore how integrated grid platforms are enabling dynamic DER orchestration. You can also watch our DERMS Gateway webinar for a closer look at real-world applications and grid-edge innovation.