A true Smart Grid employs meters, which act as sensors reporting back many supply quality, local consumption and generation parameters, and health indicators. NES smart meters and distributed control nodes (e.g. data concentrators) embedded in the low-voltage network provide this functionality, and, in fact, they are computational processing resources with memory and processing power. These devices can be securely configured over the network, so that the functions of the Smart Grid can be modified over time to fit with regulatory requirements, exploit market opportunities and leverage innovative technologies. This will be needed as micro-generation and electric vehicles continue to gain popularity, and demand response, at the scale of the low-voltage grid, starts to become reality.  This, coupled with an open smart communications protocol, will allow the underlying topology of the grid to be exposed and enable improved operations.