The quality of information required to support big data analytics and advanced network modeling is driving significant changes on both the software and business sides of GIS. The utility GIS industry is moving to a new data standard – high fidelity. The change in mindset is being supported by the Esri Utility Network model and the advanced capabilities it provides. But what does high fidelity actually mean for utilities? Let’s look at migrating your utility data to high fidelity, what you can do to prepare, and how automation can play a role to help answer that question.
High Fidelity – What it means for Utilities
A key component and benefit of the Utility Network is support for high fidelity data, but what does that mean? In reference to utilities, high fidelity simply means how precisely we recreate what’s in the field within your GIS. So why have so much data stored in GIS at all? The more information that you have modeled in the GIS, the more information your system can pass to critical downstream applications, like an advanced distribution management system (ADMS).
In the classic geometric network model, a transformer is depicted as a simple point feature. In the Utility Network, the system is able to much more accurately represent the way a transformer works in the field, including terminal connections; high side/low side tracing, and modeling valid paths. Gathering all this high fidelity information gives you the ability to perform meaningful operations analysis like FLISR (Fault Location Detection, Isolation, and Service Restoration),VVO (Volt-VAR Optimization), and SOM (Switch Order Management).
What can Utilities do to Prepare?
A key part of any migration to the Utility Network will be ensuring you have the data you need to make it work. For most utilities, this is a dual track effort. The first piece is assessing your current data and using advanced programs to extrapolate missing information wherever possible, and the second is building a migration plan to move the data to the new model. See Considerations for Migrating Water Data to the Utility Network for tips on how you can prepare for migration for any commodity.
A good place to start is with understanding the current state of the data in your GIS. An in-depth evaluation of the gaps will allow you to determine how much of the migration can be automated using advanced tool-sets, and give you time to work through any gaps that have to be resolved manually. Due to the complexity of the migration, and the robust tools required to minimize manual effort, most organizations would benefit from working with an experienced Esri partner who can help build a migration plan and understand the scope of each specific migration and/or conversion.
Automating the Migration Process
With an in-depth understanding of both the existing geometric network model and the Utility Network model, advanced programs can be written that analyze existing data and provide automated solutions for some of the most time-consuming portions of the migration process. A great example of this is the new terminal configuration that was referenced earlier – this is a key piece of functionality within the Utility Network, but it also requires that the direction of flow be explicitly stated for each transformer. Automation allows us to set those configurations across the network programmatically, rather than requiring someone to manually set the values at each location. Automation will not only simplify migration for end users, but will also help build the detail required to take advantage of the full list of Utility Network functionality including:
- Advanced Tracing
- Subnetwork Modeling – support for secondary mesh networks, spot networks, loops
- Network Diagrams – schematics, one-lines, feeder maps
- Non-Geometric Associations
- Containers – substation internals, switchgear internals, vaults, manholes, moles
UDC’s intelligent migration approach differs from our competitors by providing Esri users access to all of the functionality the new Esri Utility Network Management Extension has to offer rather than just doing a simple feature class to feature class migration.
Built-in Design for Incremental Migrations
We envision the need to run two systems in parallel, so we have designed ‘in change detection’ to support just migrated changes since the last migration was run. This allows our clients to decide when to go live with the migrated system without worrying about having to post a bunch of backlogged work orders.
Does the Approach Differ for Electric and Gas?
Fair question – but regardless of the commodity, the basic outline will stay the same. A robust data readiness assessment, migration planning, and automating as much as possible will be the way forward for both electric and gas companies.
We invite you to contact us to learn more about automated high fidelity migration or to request your Utility Network data readiness assessment.