Electric Energy T&D - Index

Electric Energy T&D - EEMag March / April 2008 - Index

Phase 4 integration combines real-time field
automation with systems and repositories
that house and apply spatial data. Examples
of real-time systems include substation
automation (SA), distribution automation
(DA), advanced metering infrastructure
(AMI) and meter data management systems
(MDMS). Spatial facilities data, integrated
with customer data, can be used to justify
and plan AMI and MDMS implementations.
In addition, AMI/MDMS can update the
GIS when a meter has been installed on the
network and notify OMS of a service outage.
These phases of implementation are not
successive; they do not require that a utility
complete a lower phase of implementation
before elements of higher phases. However, all
phases of implementation benefit from (and to a
certain degree require) a foundation of accurate
and complete spatial data. If higher phase
implementations are built on a foundation of
poor data quality, then their success is at risk.
All implementations, irrespective of phase,
should evaluate current data quality as part of
project planning. Implementation of advanced
applications may require further data collection
and improved data maintenance strategies.
Summary
For some utilities, the current GIS data
holdings may not be good enough to support
advanced GIS applications and integrations.
This occurs because advanced functions were
not foreseen during initial data collection,
either because data was not available, or
because the data have not been maintained
in the GIS. The good news is that refresh
initiatives can update this data. While this is
a significant undertaking, the benefits gained
from strategic, enterprise applications typically
outweigh the costs involved. Data refresh can
breathe new life into an old GIS database.
Sources
The following sources were used in the
development of this article:
• Milestones of GIS, the Geospatial Resource
Portal (http://www.gisdevelopment.net/history/
1950-1960.htm)
• Integrated Delivery Framework: An
Integration Tool for Utilities, Presented at
ESRI Electric and Gas Users Group 006
by Tom Helmer, Enspiria Solutions, Inc
Figure 1. Evolution of GIS
Table 1. Phases of Systems
Implementation and Integration
phase
phase
activities
5 I March-April 2008 Issue
1
3
4
Stand-alone
deployments of
energy delivery
systems: GIS,
CIS, GWD, WMS,
CMMS, MWM,
SCADA and DPS.
Integration of
systems for
workforce optimization,
e.g.:
CIS GIS
GIS OMS
GIS GWD/WMS
GIS CMMS
Integration of
individual system
data marts for asset
optimization.
Integration of near
real-time field
automation.
Key features benefits
Data redundancy
from data main-
Work becomes
tained in multiple
automated.
places results in
data conflicts.
Integration is aided
by modern enterprise
integration
infrastructures.
GIS is used to correlate
information
from disparate
systems.
GIS is a key
enabler for the
further integration
of enterprise
data, resulting in
implementation
of an enterprise
data repository.
Information from
real-time systems
such as AMI,
MDMS, SA, &
DA are leveraged
by operational
and engineering
systems.
Work processes
and data maintenance
costs are
optimized.
Asset information
(e.g. characteristics,
performance
and location) is
used to analyze
and optimize capital
expenditures
and maintenance
activities.
Field information
(e.g. service
outages, feeder
outages, device
outages, loads)
is used in near
real-time by the
enterprise.
DaTa REfRESH plaNNINg aND
maNagEmENT acTIvITIES
• Perform a strategic implementation
plan and data audit to target
applications and integrations that will
benefit from new or improved data and
to target data efforts that will offer the
biggest-bang-for-the-buck.
• Explore cross-organizational funding
and sponsorship during strategic
planning of the data refresh initiative.
• Design and implement business
processes to enable ongoing data
maintenance; without this, new
data will become stale. Ultimately,
the organizational culture must be
changed such that data quality is
everyone’s job.
• Pursue qualified vendors if contracted
labor is to be used. While the
techniques for data population have
not changed drastically since early AM/
FM implementations, data conversion
and migration resources are now well
established and experienced resources
are available. Supplemental digital
data sources are also more readily
available.
• Keep in mind that the more ‘natural’
data exchange is between the GIS and
the collection tools, the easier data
import/export methodologies will be.
• Include a pilot phase in the data
refresh initiative, including back-end
processes necessary to bring refreshed
data back into the production system
and to reconcile it with existing data.
About the Authors
Ruth Craven is a Senior Project Engineer
with Enspiria Solutions. She has 28 years
of utility software engineering and GIS
experience. She holds a bachelor of science
in computer science.
Dr. Will Shepard has extensive experience in
utility GIS, graphic work design, and enterprise
integration solutions. He received his Ph.D.
in Geography, an M.S. in Geography with GIS
Certificate, and a B.S. in Mathematics from
The University of Georgia and is a Certified
Project Management Professional (PMP).