Abstract: The distribution network, which is directly interfaced to electricity consumers, is not only the key part to ensure the electricity power transmitted, received and consumed by the users, but also the critical infrastructure to improve the people’s livelihood. To make the distribution network development compliant to the high-quality and intelligentization requirements in the 13th Five-Year-period, based on the analysis of the present situation, the challenges and opportunities of the distribution network are presented in terms of economic and social development, high power supply reliability requirements, distributed energy access, multiple load access and external construction environment changes. The overall development threads of constructing flexible, reliable and efficient distribution networks with reasonable structure and advanced technique are promoted. The development principles of differentiation, standardization, flexibility and coordination are also proposed. At last, the recommendations on future distribution network construction regarding the distributed power sources and electric vehicles access, new urbanization and smart city construction are put forward from the viewpoint of planning and constructions.

Key words: distribution network, planning, urbanization, distributed power sources, diversification load, smart city