Taking the next step in field communications
BY JIM MENTON, ClickSoftware
Electricity remains the same as it always has, but the entire context around providing a safe and reliable supply has changed, and continues to evolve. New challenges have emerged for electric utility executives spanning deep cuts in the price of gas, to more and increasingly complex regulatory pressures in parallel to targeted de-regulation, greater attention on storms impact, and the evolution of technologies for...
In reports analyzing the response of power utilities to incidents such as Hurricane Sandy, or the more recent ice storms on the east coast, one item has been remarkably consistent—the conclusion that communication requires improvements. The concern is not hard to fathom. Knowing accurately when...
Integrating GPS tracking software to improve business operations BY JENNY MALCOLM, GPS Insight Software integration, the process of combining individual computing systems into a unified whole is important to electric and utility companies because it provides the full picture into all fleet...
Exploiting the full potential of global positioning system software BY RYAN DRISCOLL, GPS Insight North American electric utilities experience a number of challenges when managing fleet vehicles such as digger derricks and bucket trucks. A few of these include fuel consumption costs, maintenance...
Field data management: The value and challenge of asset health insight BY PAUL BARNETT, JOHN STEWART, Tennessee Valley Authority & PAT BROWN, Electric Power Research Institute Intelligent management and operation of assets is of major importance to electric utilities. In an era where assets are...
A coalition of large energy consumers and ratepayer advocates has filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), urging the agency to prohibit transmission owners from independently planning "local" transmission projects exceeding 100 kilovolts (kV). The coalition argues...
Remote field operations present the safety organization with a myriad of challenges when it comes to ensuring the safety of the people that you send out to work in the field every day. Without a doubt, this includes the line workers, but it also includes nearly every member of the staff whose...
For many utilities, scheduling each day’s construction and restoration work means manually organizing and keeping tabs on ever-changing crew schedules and resources. Managers meticulously update whiteboards dotted with color-coded magnets representing crews and trucks. Augmenting the...
In June 2012, the Ontario Legislature unanimously passed Bill 8, the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, which, among other things, requires owners of buried infrastructure in the public right of way – including municipalities, universities, hospitals and private...
Utility workers are often subjected to challenging working conditions for hours at a time, yet are responsible for many mission-critical tasks. These workers must communicate with the entire organization while also representing the customer-facing side of their company. Equipping workers with...
Utility workers and linemen work in one of the most mobile industries in the country. Think about it: utility workers are always moving from one project to the next as efficiently as possible. Since utility workers rely so heavily on their work vehicles, it is critical that they drive a vehicle...
