Method for power distribution system components identification, characterization and rating

A method for operating a centrally-controlled power distribution system wherein the power distribution system includes a plurality of components communicatively coupled to a respective node electronics unit, and at least one node electronics unit coupled to at least one central control processing unit, said method comprising:

• associating a unique identifier with at least one component class of the power distribution system wherein the identifier includes at least one of an optically readable identifier, an electronically readable identifier, a magnetically readable identifier, an electro-magnetically readable identifier, and an acoustically readable identifier;
• identifying each component based on the identifier;
• determining a specification associated with each identifier;
• reporting, by the associated node electronics unit, a representation of each respective component specifications to at least one other node electronics unit, and the at least one central control processing unit;
• causing the power distribution system to operate based on the reported specifications;
• and
• causing the cower distribution system to operate at least one of the node electronics unit and the control processing unit based on the determined specification.