Issues in the Electric Network Mapping & GIS Implementation

Recently I attended Geospatial MapWorld Forum in Hyderabad, India. It was a good opportunity to share experience with various GIS volunteers working on Electric GIS. I also presented a paper on the issues critical to the successful implemetation of GIS in Electric utilities.All the people I met and discussed agreed with my view that we need to be more practical in such projects.

Status of GIS Implementation in Utilities

I used  GIS "data quality" as an indicator of knowing the status of GIS implementation and its utilization within the utility. Now days completeness and currency of data is considered most important in any GIS database of utilities who maintain a dynamic network  that changes rapidly in the field. No one will use an outdated data if its not updated regularly and do not reflect the ground reality. I based my conclusions on a published survey to assess the status of GIS in the utilities in USA.

2009 Smart Grid Readiness Survey Findings are summarized here–

·         70% Utilities have a data backlog of 90 days or more

·         25 % reported backlog of more than 6 M or year(s)

·         Larger utilities have longer lag times in data updation

·         Data model still not stabilized

·         Integration with non-GIS database and applications is not as per business needs and utilities work flow

·         Lack of commitment by domain people

It is very clear that something is wrong with the utilities own approach to GIS implementation. Most of the utilities are vendor driven and not business focused. Based on this I identified some common issues and also suggest the solution to make things simple and projects feasible.

Technical Issues

• End users want a view of the data that is in line with the as-built used by them.  Survey output is not generally accepted because it cant be easily interpreted  by the engineers and field technicians who are used to dealing with as-builts and SLDs. Make work flow simple and in line with the engineering guidelines and standards.
• Maintain a good customer address information
• Link customer premises with the Electric network
• Pole/Transformers/Substation
• Feeder/Circuit
• Supply Phase
• Reflect customers in GIS as soon they are connected in the field

Operational Issues

Follow the international practices for Utilities Mapping  & Facilities Management

• Do not rely too much on advanced surveying techniques like DGPS and Geophysical methods- cable tracing & GPR. 
• Project becomes FEASIBLE & in-line with STANDARD international practices
• Reduce backlog in the data updation
• DGPS coordinates can not be used in case of multiple overlapping cables and lines due to requirements of offsets to represent network in a 2D dataset
• Use As-built drawing as base and Validate features in the field using limited survey
• Use the survey control points to  realign the features in the As-built drawing
• Use an acceptable amount of offset from a reference line feature if there are valid junction features. For ex., bundle of cables in a trench etc
• Use digital data for mobile  field operations on GPS enabled PDAs with a backdrop of landbase showing work area
• Improve Data Editing operations
• Standardization of geo-referencing and data updation procedure
• Spatial realignment of network features using Survey points during as-built updation
• Rectified GIS data should be uploaded regularly on daily /weekly  basis

Project Management Issues

• Understanding of the SoW and Objectives 
• Work to set goals all can share
• Just because we can do something does not imply that we should.
• High accuracy is too costly to achieve and even more to utilize it later
• Don’t rush
• Understanding project priorities help you develop sensible timelines
• Don’t throw people at problem solving
• Continuously train  people and then deploy
• Quality issues upstream cause problems in downstream
• Re-engineering must with new technologies
• Don’t let yourself hostage of IT
• Embrace technology to be efficient  and more productive
• Don’t forget the fundamentals
• Follow the engineering standards for record preparation and keeping
• Fix responsibilities and accountability
• Sponsors and vendors both are equally responsible for project success
• Remember the past
• Improve your approach based on the lessons learned
• Do not justify a failed pilot because of its cost

Lessons to Remember

• Implement GIS in a phased manner
• Backlog in the data updation should be reduced to avoid confusion in the field
• Survey control points should be used to compliment for the deficiencies in the landbase and as-built drawings.
• Comprehensive survey requirements making a lot of projects uneconomical & technically not feasible also
• GIS database cannot replace any engineering document like as-built drawings which is supposed to be the single independent document describing as laid details of utilities  and technical characteristic of the network.
• "DISTRIBUTION AUTOMATION" is crucial for the continued development of Generation, Transmission and Distribution. By attaching an “electronic meter” + CT/PT in the "beginning and end" of each Feeder and also put an ‘electronic meter’ + TC output of each Distribution Transformer we can monitor these Feeders along its entire length and to establish accurate levels of "Technical Losses" of these Feeders.