Weathering the Storm: Using Predictive Analytics to Minimize Utility Outages

In order to meet ever-increasing customer service expectations, electric utilities must continuously improve the reliability of their electric distribution systems. Over the last decade, utilities have invested in digital technologies that give them near-real time readings on the health of their electric grid. This data is incredibly useful during major storm outages, but the flood of data pouring in from transformers and meters can quickly overwhelm even the most seasoned Distribution Engineer. Without analytical technologies, engineers cannot respond quickly enough to prevent additional outages and improve restoration times. Distribution Optimization for storm management equips utility engineers and dispatchers to predict which assets will be affected by storms while optimizing the placement of crews, thus decreasing outage restoration times. Combining geospatial visualization with predictive analytics, the predictive enterprise utility can shorten outages from weather events and identify weak points in the electrical distribution system thus preventing future outages.