A system for automated reconfiguration of an electrical power distribution system, comprising: a plurality of nodes (IR1-9) being located in the distribution system; a plurality of node controllers controlling respective nodes in the plurality of nodes (IR1-9) and including resources which are configured to monitor the distribution system, which source, permit or inhibit flow of electricity in the distribution system in response to detection of a condition requiring reconfiguration of the distribution system, to communicate information with at least one other node controller in the plurality of node controllers to transmit and receive communicated information; and to affect the state of the associated node (IR1-9) to source, permit or inhibit flow of electricity in accordance with one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode different to the first operating mode, the first operating mode being a primary operating mode and comprising a rapid restoration mode wherein a first node is operable to query the communicated information to identify at least one resource that is operable to affect an optimal service restoration based on a minimal switching operation; characterised in that the system comprises a software agent, which is configured to move between the nodes (IR1-9), and a software layer, which is configured to interact with the software agent at some of the nodes (IR1-9); wherein, after an isolating event, the software agent is configured to request the software layer to initiate the first operating mode; and wherein, if the initiation is not successful, the software agent is configured to begin the second operating mode. a plurality of nodes (IR1-9) being located in the distribution system; a plurality of node controllers controlling respective nodes in the plurality of nodes (IR1-9) and including resources which are configured to monitor the distribution system, which source, permit or inhibit flow of electricity in the distribution system in response to detection of a condition requiring reconfiguration of the distribution system, to communicate information with at least one other node controller in the plurality of node controllers to transmit and receive communicated information; and to affect the state of the associated node (IR1-9) to source, permit or inhibit flow of electricity in accordance with one of a first operating mode and a second operating mode different to the first operating mode, the first operating mode being a primary operating mode and comprising a rapid restoration mode wherein a first node is operable to query the communicated information to identify at least one resource that is operable to affect an optimal service restoration based on a minimal switching operation; characterised in that the system comprises a software agent, which is configured to move between the nodes (IR1-9), and a software layer, which is configured to interact with the software agent at some of the nodes (IR1-9); wherein, after an isolating event, the software agent is configured to request the software layer to initiate the first operating mode; and wherein, if the initiation is not successful, the software agent is configured to begin the second operating mode.