In the smart grid distribution, distribution automation systems with countless sensors, collecting and measuring devices, advanced distribution management system including network topology,equipment operation and maintenance information,demand-side management system interacting with the users and many other data sources integrated together to form the distribution big data environment, which provides the basis of supporting decision for distribution utilities through mining, also brings challenges. In this paper, the big data applications are summarized, the concepts, development and characteristics of the big data, and the potential applications of big data including smart energy use, data driven load prediction technology and collaborative scheduling are introduced. And power grid operation cockpit based on big data technology is presented as well asScloud computing, Internet of things and Hadoop with the example applications1. In addition, this paper describes the real-time data processing of big data in distribution network, heterogeneous multi-source data integration, situation awareness with different structural characteristics of distribution big data and knowledge extraction technology are presented as well as the development of big data in distribution network.