Transmission utility deploys mobile field force automation system in four states

- Submitted by Jim Hargis & edited by Gary Thayer

September 15, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a U.S. provider of electricity to 44 distribution systems in four western states, is rolling out a mobile solution to automate its transmission line inspection and maintenance activities.

Tri-State is a non-profit, wholesale power supply cooperative which is part of Touchstone Energy Cooperative. Tri-State provides electricity to 44 member distribution systems serving major parts of Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming. It owns or has maintenance responsibilities for more than 5,000 miles of transmission line ranging from 69 kilovolts to 345 kilovolts.

This month, Tri-State will complete its four-state deployment of a mobile application called TransCo Inspector™, by Colorado based harGIS. TransCo Inspector automates transmission line ground patrol, inspection and maintenance activities. The software is being deployed on Trimble's ruggedized, GPS-enabled Windows Mobile based Recon handhelds.

Prior to deploying the mobile application, Tri-State relied on paper maps and customer records to track transmission line activities, identify and repair damage, and patrol the lines to increase reliability.

The Solution

Tri-State searched for over two years for a software-based system that would allow them to automate critical tasks of field inspection of transmission assets. The proposed GIS based systems did not provide the functionality and productivity improvement required were too expensive in both initial and ongoing costs.

Tri-State chose harGIS Field Information Systems and its TruckMap software. TruckMap is a set of re-usable, vendor independent, standards-based software modules which are designed for creating custom field automation solutions for utilities and public works agencies.

A short field trial identified the additional configuration and customizing required to deliver Tri-State a complete working solution. The system architecture required Windows Mobile field computers both PC and Pocket PC, acquisition and loading land base and landmarks for four states, and integration with Tri-State's Oracle database system and GIS, and high speed communications network with the central office in Broomfield, CO.

The field software trial included GPS navigation (essential for cross-country work), GPS mapping (to record field conditions and work sketches), customized field data collection forms to eliminate key-in, two-way real time interface to asset management database supporting on-line line patrol assignments, in-field routing and database query.

The system had to work efficiently while "disconnected", while in transit or in the countryside. Above all the solution had to be simple, field-friendly system that was reliable and quickly accepted by the line crews with minimum down-time for training and support.

After thorough field testing in Colorado and completing a custom technology transfer and training program, the line crews and state managers determined to deploy the system to all their field offices.

Results

The TransCo Inspector replicates the line inspection and maintenance operations with which field personnel are familiar, and eliminates much paperwork and data entry. The new system provides the mobile and wireless work tools Tri-State needs to simplify field operations and complex work flows. It enables mobile field crews to easily locate facilities where inspection, upgrade, repair or expansion is necessary by providing ready access to current map data, facilities database and customer records.

Automated line inspection system enables Tri-State to quickly move and display information stored in their asset databases using handheld computers and GPS, provided a consolidated and up-to-date view of all data, databases, inspections, and field notes pertinent to transmission line maintenance. Using the software's preconfigured forms, maps and reports, the technology automates several field activities, while at the same time dynamically manages and distributes asset updates and changes to the enterprise.

With the new automated workflow, Tri-State line personnel can quickly set optimized routes, navigate to each destination, download the asset history needed to perform inspection or maintenance activities, electronically complete inspection forms, update maps with off-road features and routes, and upload any changes that need to be reflected in corporate relational databases.

The key benefits obtained are improved records accuracy and documentation, time saved on line inspections and time saved in updating the database, and the avoided costs of creating and adapting an office GIS for field use, improving the timeliness of field inspections, work management and outage response. As a specific example, during the testing period, a tornado destroyed several miles of transmission facilities. The field crews surveyed the damage, created the maps of the damage and work required, communicated the work requests to management and engineering to provide rapid restoration.

The Future

While the current TruckMap application focuses on ground inspection activities, Tri-State also plans to integrate the software with its work management system to expedite its work request processes. They also plan to expand use of the field information technology to a variety of other office departments as well as to use by its contractors. In addition, they want to expand use of the software beyond its field operations vehicles and into the sky for aerial inspections using helicopters.

For more information on these mobile applications, see har-gis.com or truckmap.com.

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