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Issue 3 / 2015 www.eda-on.ca 33 This common operating picture (Figure A) enables utilities to quickly answer questions such as: • What is the current operational status of the network? • What incidents or outages are occurring and where, and are there any trends? • What percentage of the system is down? • How many customers are affected at regional and sub-regional levels? • Are there any environmental events present that might impact operations and restoration efforts? The dashboard provides intelligent deci - sion support by incorporating various datasets for rapid in-depth analyses. Because of the geographic nature of distribution utilities, the dash - board must consist of an interactive map with real-time information from numerous data sources including the utility's operational systems such as the outage management system (OMS) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), business systems such as financial and customer information systems, and news and weather feeds from external sources. It must also display charts, gauges and histograms that provide valuable statis - tical context for outages. Delivering the right information to the right person at the right time Often, too little or too much informa- tion slows down analysis and decision- making. Operations dashboards must be configurable to display relevant data- sets based on an individual's role in the utility. For example, a dashboard for emergency operations centre staff might include a live map that plots locations of outages, customers and assets; auto- mated vehicle location data to enable real-time tracking of field crews; and live weather feeds that enable dispatchers to monitor severe weather events that could impact restoration efforts and allow them to redirect crews accordingly. Operations dashboards can be used to effectively manage large-scale events as well as day-to-day operations. Information is automatically compiled by the GIS, which can send daily email notifications with dashboard data to the appropriate manager. This provides greater insight into the scope of outages and their downstream impacts to key performance indicators. Further, the dashboard can be built into an overall framework that integrates information from the utility's OMS, AMI, SCADA and other real-time systems; displays the data through the operations dashboard; and sends outage noti - fications to customers via social media, email and text messaging. Ultimately, GIS enables utilities to be proactive in communicating and managing outages, improving their ability to deliver exceptional customer service. Esri Canada provides enterprise geographic information system (GIS) solutions that empower organ- izations to make timely, informed decisions by leveraging the power of geography. Utility professionals worldwide use Esri technology to manage assets, offer higher levels of customer service and operate more efficiently. GIS provides the under- lying network model for the smart grid and also plays a vital role in facilitating mobile operations, plan- ning and designing networks, and enhancing operational awareness. GIS enables utilities to document where assets are located, deter- mine how they are connected or configured and how they can best meet the needs of customers, stake- holders, employees and society. For more information, visit esri.ca. FIGURE B: A DASHBOARD USED BY AN OPERATIONS MANAGER DISPLAYS SYSTEM EVENTS TO HELP PRIORITIZE WORK AND EFFECTIVELY ALLOCATE RESOURCES. DURING A STORM, CLUSTER BUBBLES ON THE MAP MAY CHANGE COLOUR, INDICATING CRITICAL AREAS WHERE CREWS SHOULD BE DISPATCHED ON A PRIORITY BASIS.

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