RSVP: IEEE_CSS_Dist@shaw.ca Abstract This session will provide information on some major enhancements that have either been recently released or that are currently under development for the Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3). DNP3, now known as IEEE Std 1815, has become one of the most popular utility-specific communications protocols and is used at over 75% of North American electric utilities. This session will describe how secure authentication has been added to the protocol to address the possibility of cyber attacks; how a profile has been developed for using DNP3 with smart inverters such as photovoltaic distributed energy resources (DER); how a specification is underway to convert between DNP3 and IEC 61850; and how the DNP Users Group has addressed recent concerns about software vulnerabilities in DNP3 implementations. This session should be useful both for attendees who are familiar with DNP3 and also for those who are mostly concerned how it is being enhanced to meet the current needs of the utility industry. Grant Gilchrist Grant Gilchrist, P. Eng., is a Principal Consultant on the Smart Grid Engineering Team at EnerNex Corporation.  He is a member of several utility data communications standards bodies including the IEC working groups for SCADA, substation automation, protocol security, and interoperability.  He is a founding member of the Technical Committee for the Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3).  He has helped several major utilities develop technical requirements for their Advanced Metering Infrastructures and other Smart Grid programs, and was editor of the IEC 62351-5 standard for security of the IEC 60870-5 and DNP3 protocols.  He specializes in visualizations of the Smart Grid and developed the NIST Smart Grid Framework “cloud” diagrams. Before joining EnerNex, Grant spent a total of 17 years developing embedded data communications software for GE Energy and Nortel Networks.  He has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Engineering from the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, and is a registered Professional Engineer in the province of Alberta, Canada.