CASE STUDY
Superior Response after Historic Storm
After Superstorm Sandy caused more than $65 billion in damages to the eastern United States, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo created the Moreland Commission to recommend improvements during future extended power interruptions. Local electric and natural gas provider Iberdrola USA and its subsidiary companies NYSEG and RG&E rose to the commission’s challenge for greater utility-municipality collaboration.
User: Iberdrola USA
Challenge: Superstorm Sandy caused more than $65 billion in damages to the eastern United States
Solutions: ArcGIS Online, Collector for ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online, Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS.
Results: Improved monetary payoff, municipal relations, and increased customer satisfaction throughout Upstate New York
What did they do?
Iberdrola USA staff built live web maps with the company’s ArcGISSM Online organizational account. By accessing maps, municipalities in Iberdrola USA’s service area can view and report existing damage directly into the user interface, which extends Iberdrola USA’s view into the field. Meanwhile, the utility’s damage assessors take iPad minis with data plans and the Collector for ArcGIS app into the field to report damage too. The map-based Collector interface improves the nonspatial application that had been used before Superstorm Sandy, saving time and money and resulting in greater accuracy. Finally, in the office, Iberdrola USA event leaders use high-level dashboard viewers, which access the same information from ArcGIS Online, to summarize the collected data—including total downed primary and secondary wires, leaking or broken transformers, and more.
Do I need this?
If your utility serves areas hit by storms and is seeking time- and money-saving means to get the power on faster, consider configuring the Esri web maps, the Collector app, and Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS. Iberdrola USA estimates that it had zero cost in implementing this holistic, office-to-field, modern damage assessment system, thanks to using the company’s existing enterprise license agreement (ELA) to access and configure Esri software. The utility has received positive feedback from field workers, municipalities, and internal staff.
“Imagine the costs savings in a storm like Superstorm Sandy if you can leverage GIS to get the power on one day faster. The payoff is monetary but also increased customer satisfaction and improved municipal relations.” - La Wanda Ervin Electric Distribution QA/QC Manager, Iberdrola USA Benton Public Utility District
GIS for Electric Utilities
A minute without power inconveniences customers and reduces revenues. Use ArcGIS mapping and analytics to identify vulnerabilities before a failure occurs. See real-time data on weather, crews, demand, and outages. Keep power flowing and workers safe.
