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What does CIGRE stand for?
CIGRE is a French acronym, standing for Conseil International des Grands Réseaux Electriques; this translates as Council on Large Electric Systems.
How does CIGRE operate?
CIGRE achieves its objects by all appropriate methods, notably as follows:
It organises, every two years, a conference known as a Session, held in Paris with thousands of delegates.
In the years without a Session it organises Symposia spread in locations around the world.
It provides a means of addressing issues particular to countries or regions through the action of its National Committees and Regions.
Through its sixteen Study Committees (each with multiple Working Groups) it carries out and encourages international investigations, coordinated by the CIGRE Technical Committee.
It creates and maintains friendly relations between associations, administrations, engineers, academics, researchers and manufacturers in all countries.
It collaborates with the IEC and other international organisations with related interests.
For a more in-depth overview of the CIGRE organisation, please refer to the CIGRE website.
What makes CIGRE different to other industry organisations?
This is best explained by the table below:
| CIGRE | IET | IET (power sector) | IEEE | IEEE PES | |
| Focus | Generation, Transmission & Distribution | Industry-wide | Power vertical | Industry-wide | Power vertical |
| Geography | Global | British influenced | British influenced | American influenced | American influenced |
| Membership Involvement | Emphasis on those employed in industry and supporting those studying in T&D area | Students to retirement | Students to retirement | Students to experts | Students to experts |
| Technical Committee Work | Cross-industry; provides the basis for standards | Limited to Professional Networks | Limited to Professional Networks | Delivering IEEE standards | Delivering IEEE standards |
| Differentiation | T&D; Global; THEindustry reference; cross utility / supplier / academia; Working Groups | Member services | Member services | Member services | Member services |
| Summary | Global; Generation T&D specialisation; Industry Reference; Goes beyond but complimentary to IEEE and IET | Wide remit; UK biased | Power focus; UK biased | Wide remit; American biased | Power focus; American biased |