  Network integration studies try to assess the impact of future developments,
such as the increase of Renewable Energy Sources or the introduction of Smart
Grid Technologies, on large-scale network areas. Goals can be to support
strategic alignment in the regulatory framework or to adapt the network
planning principles of Distribution System Operators. This study outlines an
approach for the automated distribution system planning that can calculate
network reconfiguration, reinforcement and extension plans in a fully automated
fashion. This allows the estimation of the expected cost in massive
probabilistic simulations of large numbers of real networks and constitutes a
core component of a framework for large-scale network integration studies.
Exemplary case study results are presented that were performed in cooperation
with different major distribution system operators. The case studies cover the
estimation of expected network reinforcement costs, technical and economical
assessment of smart grid technologies and structural network optimisation.
