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Industry: Electric Utilities

The Future of Vegetation Management: How Digitized Solutions Help Utilities Address the Growing Risk

Posted on by Ciara Tobin

Nearly one-quarter of the power outages in the US are related to vegetation risk, according to research by The College of Nature Resources. The utility sector spends an estimated $6-8 billion annually on vegetation management, per Accenture, making it critical that these resources are used effectively. Many utilities are discovering that a digitized, map-first asset management solution can improve their vegetation management efforts, ensure they allocate resources strategically, and reduce the likelihood of a vegetation-related power outage or wildfire.

The Growing Impact of Vegetation on Utilities

The risk of vegetation contributing to costly and potentially dangerous power outages is on the rise, especially as severe weather events become more frequent due to climate change. The rising prevalence of drought conditions presents a significant challenge.

In the fall of 2024, 48 states experienced some level of drought—a situation The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) deemed “historic.” If a downed power line comes into contact with dry vegetation, it can spark a fire that takes power out of service and threatens properties and lives.

Even in the absence of weather issues, overgrown trees have the potential to extend into overhead power lines and ignite a fire. And while not all wildfires result from power equipment coming into contact with vegetation, the growing frequency of these events—from the 2023 Smokehouse Creek Fire in Texas, to the devastating wildfires on Maui and more recently in Los Angeles—has heightened awareness of the urgent need to reduce vegetation as a contributing factor.

Adding to the complexity, utilities must now comply with the updated Transmission Vegetation Management reliability standard from the North American Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC), which went into effect April 1, 2024. FAC-003-5 impacts all NERC Registered Transmission Owners and Generator Owners. As utilities add transmission capacity to address growing energy demand, while simultaneously transitioning to renewable energy, complying with this updated standard adds another layer of complexity.

Transforming Traditional Vegetation Management

When vegetation near utility assets is left unmanaged, it poses serious risks to power companies and their customers. That’s why utilities across the US engage in proactive vegetation management, such as pruning trees, removing trees and flammable brush, and widening rights-of-way to expand the area where they can manage vegetation.

However, the high cost of utility vegetation management and persistent labor shortages require utilities to adopt a more strategic, data-driven approach. Traditionally, vegetation management has been performed on fixed schedules based on historical patterns. But as weather patterns become more unpredictable, this approach becomes inadequate.

Instead, forward-thinking utilities are leveraging advanced technology to better inform their vegetation management strategies, prioritizing high-risk areas and maximizing the impact of their resources.

Where Legacy Systems Fall Short on Vegetation Management

To reduce fall-in, grow-in, and other vegetation risks, utilities need full visibility into where vegetation is encroaching on field assets or otherwise threatening reliable power. Equipped with accurate, real-time data, they can proactively forecast vegetation management needs, efficiently schedule inspections, and direct maintenance teams to the most critical areas.

However, traditional legacy systems and a lack of integration among disparate data sources make vegetation management challenging for today’s utilities. The information needed to inform vegetation management comes from multiple sources, which is often stored and managed within a variety of disconnected systems. For example, drone-captured aerial images and geospatial data from sources like LiDAR (light detection and ranging) are typically gathered using a mix of manual and digitized processes. As a result, the data is collected and housed in various formats that make it difficult to structure, synthesize, and process it for effective use.

Even as satellite technology provides more geographic and geospatial data, processing these massive data volumes requires significant computing power – something that outdated IT infrastructure and legacy systems struggle to handle.

A Digited Solution Reduces Vegetation Risk

Managing vegetation proactively and strategically demands a modern technology platform that supports gathering, synthesizing, and analyzing all the data inputs required to assess risk and direct field resources. Many utilities find that a digitized, geospatial asset management platform greatly improves vegetation management by providing a single repository of real-time data about field assets and the state of nearby vegetation.

By tracking each asset’s geospatial location and integrating data across many sources, a digitized solution provides the visibility utilities need to develop and execute effective vegetation management strategies. The solution standardizes data that is gathered from a variety of sources and exists in many different formats, including data from drones, satellites, mobile devices, and information within manual documents.

With the capability to automate field crews’ workflow end-to-end, a mobile workforce management platform streamlines work order creation, optimizes staff scheduling and deployment, facilitates tracking of vegetation management work progress, and ensures the utility allocates finite resources wisely. A modern, digitized asset management solution further improves vegetation management by giving field crews mobile access to the real-time data they need to carry out work orders efficiently and accurately.

Leading Utilities Improve Vegetation Management with EpochField

To meet today’s challenges, leading utilities are turning to EpochField, a map-first, geospatial asset management solution designed to modernize and streamline vegetation management operations. Purpose-built for utilities and scalable to any size organization, EpochField digitally transforms, automates, and streamlines field service operations, including the mission-critical task of vegetation management. This modern solution provides the spatial intelligence to inform vegetation management activities while seamlessly integrating with legacy systems, enterprise applications, and mobile devices for access to real-time data.

Many of EpochField’s newest enhancements greatly aid utilities in managing vegetation efficiently and effectively. For instance, the enhanced Edit Multiple Work Features tool equips field crews to manage tasks more accurately and simplifies the job of bulk editing work features. Updated Workflow Forms save field crews time by guiding them through the form logically, while allowing them to use the Workflow Builder to create these forms using simple drag-and-drop functionality. The Workflow Builder now includes a Spatial Lookup feature that supports auto-populating category values in workflow forms, using nearby features based on a specified spatial distance. These are just a few of the many EpochField features utilities can use to create vegetation management work orders and implement these tasks in the field.

Don’t let outdated technology hold back your vegetation management strategy. Contact an Epoch sales consultant to learn how our digitized, geospatial asset management solution can help reduce vegetation-related risks and improve operational efficiency. Visit our Utility Operations Resource Center for more insights and resources from the utility experts at Epoch Solutions Group.

Enhancing Form Usability with EpochField’s Show Intelligent Workflow Rule

Posted on by Ciara Tobin

A Smarter Way for Utilities to Streamline Data Collection

Efficient data collection for utility companies starts with well-designed forms. Field crews rely on structured, intuitive workflows to capture critical data quickly and accurately. However, a cluttered, overwhelming form can slow operations, frustrate users, and increase the likelihood of data entry errors.

That’s where EpochField’s Show Intelligent Workflow Rule comes in. This feature dynamically adjusts form visibility based on user input, ensuring that only the most relevant fields appear at any given time. The result? A more efficient, intuitive, and user-friendly experience—helping utilities improve field productivity, reduce errors, and enhance regulatory compliance.

What is the Show Intelligent Workflow Rule?

The Show Intelligent Workflow Rule is a built-in feature of EpochField, designed specifically for utilities that need to manage field operations efficiently. It enhances form usability by dynamically displaying or hiding fields based on predefined conditions, ensuring field technicians only see the information they need to complete their tasks.

Key Benefits for Utilities:

  • Reduces clutter by hiding irrelevant fields.
  • Improves user experience by making the form intuitive and easy to navigate.
  • Enhances efficiency by ensuring users only see what’s necessary.
  • Minimizes errors by guiding users through the form logically.

How Does the Show Intelligent Workflow Rule Work?

1. Initial Form Display

When the form is first loaded, only categories and fields not marked as Hidden by Default will be visible. This ensures a clean layout and streamlined user experience.

2. Dynamic Field Display

As users fill out the form, specific inputs trigger additional fields to appear when necessary. This happens when a user selects an option from a dropdown, checks a box, or provides other qualifying inputs.

3. Field Hiding

Fields that do not meet the workflow conditions remain hidden, ensuring users only see information relevant to their input. This prevents unnecessary distractions and speeds up the data entry process.

4. Required Fields

Only required fields relevant to the user’s selections will be displayed. This ensures that users enter all essential data without having to sift through irrelevant fields.

Real-World Example: Gas Meter Inspection

To demonstrate how EpochField’s Show Intelligent Workflow Rule enhances field operations, let’s explore a utility-specific use case—gas meter inspections.

Scenario:

You are conducting a gas meter inspection, and the form needs to determine whether damage is present.

How the Rule Works:

  1. When the form loads, the category “Damage Present” is visible, with two options: Yes or No.
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  1. If the user selects “Yes”, configurable additional fields and categories related to damage appear, prompting the user to provide details such as:
    • Type of damage
    • Severity
    • Additional remarks
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  1. If the user selects “No”, the damage-related fields remain hidden, allowing the user to move on to the next section.

This dynamic behavior ensures that only relevant fields are presented, making the inspection process smooth and efficient.

How to Configure the Show Intelligent Workflow Rule

Implementing this feature in EpochField is simple and intuitive. Follow these steps to configure Show Intelligent Workflow Rules for utility field operations:

1. Create a Category or Field

  • Define a category or field that should be hidden by default.
  • For step-by-step instructions, refer to the EpochField Knowledge Base.
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2. Create a New Intelligent Workflow Rule

  • Set up an Intelligent Workflow Rule to control when fields should be shown or hidden.
  • Learn more about setting up workflow rules in EpochField’s Documentation.
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3. Define Conditions

  • Establish conditions that trigger field visibility.
  • Example: If “Damage Present” is marked “Yes”, additional damage-related fields become visible.
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4. Publish the Task Type

  • Ensure the changes are applied and published to the server.
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5. Test and Optimize

  • Conduct thorough testing to confirm that the fields appear and disappear as expected based on user input.
  • Validate that the rule improves efficiency and reduces errors in the field.

Utility Companies Trust EpochField for Smarter Workflows

EpochField’s Show Intelligent Workflow Rule is a powerful tool for enhancing form usability and efficiency. This feature helps utilities:

  • Accelerate inspections and audits
  • Ensure regulatory compliance with precise data collection
  • Improve field crew productivity by eliminating unnecessary inputs
  • Simplify complex forms for faster, more efficient workflows

Whether you’re conducting inspections, collecting survey responses, or processing applications, this feature makes forms more intuitive and user-friendly.

Ready to simplify your utility workflows?

Start leveraging EpochField’s Show Intelligent Workflow Rule today to enhance efficiency, compliance, and field operations.

If your utility isn’t using EpochField yet, contact an Epoch sales consultant to see how our industry-leading solution can transform your field operations.

The Right Technology Can Help UK and EU Utilities Improve Asset Management Amidst Evolving Regulations

Posted on by Ciara Tobin

Utilities in the UK and Europe face a myriad of challenges in the quest to provide safe, reliable power. In the midst of escalating energy demand and ambitious climate change goals, the evolving regulatory landscape adds another layer of complexity that directly impacts utility asset management. Equipped with the right technology, UK and EU utilities can simplify and streamline compliance with regulatory requirements while meeting shifting expectations.

Changing Regulations Add Pressure on Utilities

As utility regulations evolve in Europe and the UK, the compliance function becomes more critical yet increasingly complex. Below are some of the most impactful regulatory changes affecting how utilities in the region manage field assets and maintain compliance.

  • The UK’s Renewables Obligation (RO) requires electric utilities to provide a certain number of renewable obligation certificates (ROCs) per MWh of electricity supplied. This affects providers in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Complying with the new 2025-2026 obligation requires completing critical actions by key deadlines, such as providing estimated and final data on total electricity supplied during the obligation period and presenting ROCs and/or making a buy-out payment to meet the obligation.
  • The Market-Wide Half-Hourly Settlement is expected to drive a significant smart meter upgrade (and cost savings) among millions of consumers and businesses in the UK starting April 1, 2025. While second-generation smart meters already record energy usage on the half-hour, those using first-generation smart meters will need to upgrade. As newer smart meters roll out, energy suppliers will be well-positioned to create new revenue streams and tailor products and tariffs based on energy use.
  • The EU Gas Storage Regulation mandates that gas storage facilities be filled to at least 90% of capacity by November 1, with intermediate targets set for February 1, May 1, July 1, and September 1. These requirements ensure adequate gas supply for the 2025-2026 winter season, impacting EU countries with underground gas storage facilities and those connected through the gas network.
  • To further safeguard gas supply, EU governments have extended gas demand reduction measuresuntil March 31, 2025. Initially adopted in 2022 in response to the supply disruptions and price volatility caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this initiative aims to reduce gas demand by 15%.
  • The Network and Information Systems Directive (NIS2), enacted in October 2024, is intended to reduce cybersecurity risk and enhance operational resilience, particularly for essential sectors like energy and utility services, where attacks on critical infrastructure could be catastrophic. Utilities will be required to implement stricter cybersecurity measures, improve resilience against cyber threats, and meet incident reporting requirements.

Along with these regulatory changes, utilities are striving to meet aggressive climate change and decarbonization goals. At COP29, the UK announced a goal to reduce emissions by 81% by 2035, while the European Commission aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Meanwhile, aging infrastructure is making it increasingly difficult for UK and EU utilities to meet rising demand while implementing decarbonization efforts and transitioning to clean energy sources. The adoption of electric vehicle, the expansion of cloud computing, and the increasing use of AI are all taxing the grid, fueling the need for significant modernization and upgrade projects.

Digitized Utility Field Service Management Improves Compliance

In the face of these realities, electric and gas utilities in the UK and Europe recognize that strategic, proactive asset management is more critical than ever. By leveraging a digitized utility field service management platform, they can enhance compliance, improve asset availability, and ensure worker safety and efficiency.

A map-first field service management platform helps utilities comply with evolving regulatory requirements designed to improve safety, ensure reliability, and protect the planet. The following capabilities are hallmarks of a modern field service management platform, streamlining and simplifying compliance functions:

  • Real-time Data Collection and Reporting. Complying with regulatory reporting obligations requires access to real-time data about field assets. A modern asset management platform integrates GIS and other data across disparate systems, including back-office solutions, to ensure accurate reporting. By adding a data migration tool such as EpochSync Pro, utilities can further ease compliance reporting by streamlining the process of getting GIS data into a format that enables them to use the Esri ArcGIS Utility Network. EpochSync Pro seamlessly synchronizes data bidirectionally and accurately between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases.
  • Tracking and Tracing Capabilities. The ability to track and trace every field asset with confidence is essential to maintaining compliance. A robust field workforce management solution offers digital as-built capabilities that ensure real-time visibility of assets across the network. These solutions also improve documentation management and make it easier to maintain a complete audit trail of historical asset information.
  • Safety-Related Functionality. Improved safety is at the heart of many utility industry regulations, so an effective field service management platform must support this objective. A mobile workforce management solution provides field crews with the situational awareness to work safely based on real-time data about conditions on the ground.
  • Regulatory Updates and Guidance. A field workforce management vendor should relieve some of the compliance burden from utility staff by keeping tabs on regulatory changes and updating the system accordingly. A best-in-class vendor also shares compliance best practices, leveraging its experience across the global utility industry.

Along with enhancing regulatory compliance, a mobile workforce management platform can help gas and electric utilities meet evolving demands by improving operational excellence. In a fast-changing environment, it’s essential to leverage technology to increase visibility into field operations, improve agility, and enhance worker efficiency.

For UK and EU utilities striving to achieve these objectives, the following features should be considered essential components of a field service management solution.

  • Grid Resilience and Reliability Support. Today’s electric and gas utilities need solutions that help them deliver reliable power amidst the rising incidence of climate-driven extreme weather. The right platform supports this goal by speeding and improving outage response and streamlining incident reporting.
  • Mobile Capabilities. An increasingly mobile workforce requires the tools to inspect, maintain, and repair field assets efficiently and safely. That’s why many utilities in the UK and EU are adopting a map-centric asset management system. By equipping their crews with robust mobile apps and the ability to work offline if needed, they’re speeding and simplifying field work and improving efficiency.
  • Predictive Analytics. Modern, digitized field workforce solutions incorporate advanced analytics designed to predict failures, optimize maintenance, and provide the data operations teams need to mitigate risk.

Utilities in the UK and Europe Improve Compliance with EpochField

No matter how complex or volatile the regulatory environment, electric and gas utilities in the UK and EU have a powerful solution at their disposal: the EpochField platform.

EpochField is a map-centric, geospatial-based platform that provides the modern capabilities these organizations need to maintain regulatory compliance, while achieving the operational excellence to improve resilience against weather and other threats, enhance power reliability and availability, and meet growing demand. It’s a highly scalable and easily configurable solution that simplifies compliance through improved data visibility, access, and reporting along with robust tracking and tracing. EpochField also enhances the entire field operations function by streamlining the work, equipping mobile crews with robust capabilities, and improving data management—even across multiple legacy applications and third-party systems.  

EpochField is the flagship product of Epoch Solutions Group, dedicated to equipping utilities to achieve operational excellence, sustainable growth, and regulatory compliance. We become a true partner to your business, combining our deep utility industry expertise with an innovative, purpose-built solution that helps you meet evolving challenges.

Contact an Epoch sales consultant to learn how our field asset management solution can help you maintain regulatory compliance and achieve operational excellence. Or visit our Utility Operations Resource Center for insights and resources from the utility experts at Epoch Solutions Group.

AI Can Transform Utility Operations—and These Steps Will Help Prepare Your Data for the Shift

Posted on by Ciara Tobin

The demand for more power—delivered reliably, safely, and with resilience—has never been greater. The growth in cloud computing and electrification is fueling demand dramatically, while extreme weather and cyberthreats are placing the grid at higher risk.

Amidst this unprecedented change, utilities are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) as powerful strategic weapons. An IBM study found that three-quarters of energy companies have implemented artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations or are exploring the idea.

Impactful use cases for AI and ML in utility operations abound. For example, these technologies can predict asset failures, analyze vegetation for heightened fire risk, detect cyber threats, improve demand forecasting based on patterns, reduce unplanned downtime, improve field crew productivity through smarter scheduling, and optimize the grid based on historical use, consumption trends, weather forecasts, and other critical information. AI is especially adept at analyzing massive volumes of data—a capability which utilities can use to spot trends that warrant action and make the most informed decisions.

Data holds the key to turning AI into an operational advantage, but siloed legacy systems and disparate data sources create formidable obstacles for utilities. The following steps can improve data preparedness for utilities that are ready to transform their operations with AI-enabled applications.

Unify Your Data Sources  

An effective utility operation depends on data from many sources, including supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), outage management systems (OMS), and the geographic information systems (GIS) that provide a complete view of the grid and utility network. Utilities are also operating asset management, work management, and customer information systems that may not integrate with each other—along with smart grid devices and IoT devices.

Given this complicated web of systems and data sources, it’s imperative for utilities to unify their data, integrate systems in real time, and create a single source of truth about network assets. This step is critical to leveraging AI-powered tools and solutions to their fullest.

Develop a Data Management Strategy

Another vital step in preparing for this transformation is the development of strategies for aggregating and managing the data AI will rely on to improve utility operations.  This can include meter data, historical data on grid and network performance, microgrid and islanding data, distributed energy resource (DER) data, and many other types.

Utility data management is a complex undertaking that involves tasks such as these, at a minimum:

  • Implementing a data warehouse solution ideally suited to handling utility-specific data
  • Developing data integration strategies for microgrid controllers and third-party applications
  • Establishing data-sharing protocols with DER owners and aggregators
  • Developing the necessary data infrastructure to support microgrid management and islanding operations
  • Creating a wide variety of data models, including those that enable microgrid performance analysis and optimization and others that integrate various DER types
  • Establishing scalable storage, archiving and retrieval processes for a high volume of data, along with retention policies that balance the need for historical data with the associated costs

Several specific data types require additional data management considerations. For example:

  • The proliferation of intelligent grid sensors and IoT devices requires edge computing strategies that support data streaming for real-time monitoring and integrate weather, satellite, and other data to improve resilience, while maintaining governance.
  • Gas pipeline integrity management demands the ability to consolidate inspection, maintenance, and risk management data, create quality standards for pipeline material and installation data, and facilitate the required regulatory reporting.
  • Gas demand forecasting and supply management requires effective management of historical consumption, weather, and market data, along with access to real-time gas flow monitoring and balancing information and reliable meter readings.

Ensure Data Quality and Integrity

AI algorithms demand high-quality, consistent data. Before adding AI-enabled tools and solutions, consider implementing measures for validating data on transformers, pipelines, and other assets in real time, and establishing data quality metrics specific to utility operations.

GIS data is especially vital to effective field operations, allowing utilities to model and analyze the network with accuracy. So it’s vital to implement processes that ensure GIS data is always accurate and keep data consistent across GIS and other systems. As utilities incorporate increasingly advanced geospatial data from sources like LiDAR (light detection and ranging), it’s equally important to develop strategies for integrating this information while maintaining its integrity.

Shore Up Data Governance

Operating in a highly regulated industry demands attention to data monitoring, control, and governance to ensure compliance. That’s why any strategy for incorporating AI into the utility’s operations must be grounded in a sound data governance approach.

Automated reporting mechanisms, strict data quality controls, and complete audit trails can facilitate timely and accurate regulatory submissions. It’s also critical to define ownership for every data utility type data, develop clear data standards and naming conventions, and implement catalog solutions customized to your data types and use cases. A cross-functional data governance committee that spans operational functions is vital to data stewardship.

Enhance Data Analytics for Better Operational Intelligence

A wide range of data analytics can enhance operations, providing a window into key functions like predictive maintenance, energy demand and load forecasting, demand response, and outage management. AI initiatives are more effective when the utility is better prepared to leverage these metrics.

Before moving ahead with AI full-steam, utilities should take measures such as these to improve their data analytics capabilities:

  • Aggregate and consolidate asset performance, load, weather, outage, grid topology, pricing, and operational data, along with maintenance records
  • Develop data pipelines that facilitate real-time asset health monitoring and demand response program data integration
  • Create data feeds and pipelines for real-time power outage management and restoration, along with dynamic load forecasting and pricing
  • Implement data streaming mechanisms that improve real-time grid and network monitoring, factoring in SCADA, grid sensor, and grid state estimation data
  • Integrate real-time pricing data with customer systems, while leveraging data to facilitate timely customer notification

Epoch Solutions Group: The Partner that Helps Prepare Your Data for AI

Preparing your data to leverage the power and value of AI is a complex effort. That’s why leading electric and gas utilities partner with the industry specialists at Epoch Solutions Group.

We help utilities prepare for the AI transformation through our industry-leading technology solutions and unrivaled capabilities:

  • The EpochField map-first mobile workforce management platform empowers your utility to digitally transform, automate, and streamline field service operations. This single application improves all field workflows and facilitates geospatially enabled back-office scheduling, work type authoring, and work order creation. Available on premise or as a SaaS solution, it’s the foundation you need for AI-ready data—simplifying data integration while ensuring quality and fidelity.
  • The EpochSync Pro tool synchronizes data between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases—providing a flexible, scalable way to integrate data across multiple geospatial systems with consistency and reliability.
  • The Epoch UN Blueprint provides a structured process to speed and streamline your transition to the geospatially enabled Esri Utility Network, setting a foundation to implement AI technologies effectively across the operation.
  • With extensive expertise in geospatial software implementation, Epoch Solutions Group delivers valuable insights on managing and integrating the geospatial data that’s critical to utility-specific AI applications.
  • Our focus on the utility industry affords our team the knowledge and experience to offer tailored solutions that help prepare your data to leverage AI in utility operations.

Building the foundation to facilitate AI implementation is critical for electric and gas utilities that are ready to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing industry and future-proof their operations. By leveraging Epoch Solutions Group’s deep industry expertise and purpose-built technology solutions, you can create an AI-ready data infrastructure, accelerate your AI transformation, and position your organization for long-term success.

Contact an Epoch Solutions Group sales consultant or visit our website to learn more.

Technology’s Vital Role in Navigating Utility Asset Management Regulations in Australia and New Zealand

Posted on by Ciara Tobin

Utilities across the globe face significant challenges as they work to maintain regulatory compliance and achieve the operational excellence required to provide safe, reliable power in a volatile world. In Australia and New Zealand, electric and gas utilities must comply with a wide range of regulations that impact asset management, while evolving to meet aggressive climate change goals. The right technology can help leading utilities achieve both objectives.

Utilities Face a Demanding Regulatory Landscape

A complex web of regulations that impact safety, operations, and environmental protection all greatly influence how utilities in Australia and New Zealand manage field assets.

  • The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) guidelines cover various operational issues that impact electric utility asset management—from network reliability, efficiency, and performance, to pricing, revenue, and consumer protection.
  • The New Zealand Electricity Authority Regulations serve a similar purpose, providing guidance on grid reliability standards, establishing protocols for outage reporting and management, requiring asset management plan disclosure, and establishing an Electric Industry Participation Code.
  • On the safety front, AS 5577 sets electricity network safety management system requirements designed to ensure the safe design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning of utility networks. The standard spans a range of requirements, from maintaining assets to ensure network integrity to using proactive vegetation management to mitigate brushfire risk. Similarly, NZS 7901 provides guidance on safety management systems for electric and gas utilities in New Zealand, with the goal of protecting residents and their properties.
  • For gas utilities, AS/NZS 4645 aims to ensure gas distribution networks operate safely and reliably by providing a risk-based framework for network management and requirements that span the network’s lifecycle, including design, materials, construction, testing, and commissioning. AS 2885 sets safety standards specific to pipeline design, construction, inspection, testing, operation, and maintenance.
  • The New Zealand Gas (Safety and Measurement) Regulations 2010 focuses on the safety of gas distribution systems, gas at the point of supply to consumers, and gas installations, as well as odorization and pressure management.

Along with meeting Trans-Tasman utility standards, Australian and New Zealand energy regulations, and the requirements of the Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM), utilities in these regions are evolving to attain climate change goals. With both the Australian and New Zealand governments setting a target of net zero emissions by 2050, utilities are transforming rapidly to ensure a smooth transition. Whether they’re undertaking renewable energy projects, implementing carbon capture initiatives, or supporting the demand for electric vehicle charging, they’re adapting their operations in ways that will demand more effective field asset management, better leak detection and repair approaches, and more sustainable pipeline management.

In addition to complying with these regulations, utilities in Australia and New Zealand are continually measuring their effectiveness against industry-standard reliability metrics to ensure optimal uptime and superior service. These metrics include the System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI), which measures the number of hours an average customer experiences non-momentary power interruptions over the course of a year, and the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI), which measures power interruption frequency.

Asset Management is Further Taxed in an Evolving Industry

Beyond complying with numerous regulatory requirements and meeting industry reliability standards, utilities in Australia and New Zealand are battling other obstacles that make asset lifecycle management more critical, yet more challenging.

  • Aging infrastructure creates financial and operational demands, including the need to invest in and prioritize asset maintenance and replacement and to deploy effective strategies that balance asset life extension with high performance.
  • Renewable energy demand is forcing utilities to modernize the grid to accommodate bidirectional power flows from clean energy sources, and to improve energy demand forecasting and load management.
  • Cybersecurity risks continue to grow as a smarter grid makes utilities more vulnerable to attack, requiring investments in better infrastructure protection, data privacy compliance approaches, and cyberattack response and reporting mechanisms.

A Digitized Field Service Management Platform Addresses These Challenges

As electric and gas utilities in Australia and New Zealand grapple with the difficulties of complying with stringent regulations governing safety, reliability, and environmental protection, improving field asset management becomes a must. A modern, map-first field service management platform can help utilities meet rigorous regulatory requirements while achieving the operational excellence it takes to thrive in an evolving environment.

The following asset management system capabilities greatly simplify the many operational tasks involved in maintaining compliance:  

  • Geospatial Asset Tracking. It takes accurate tracking and traceability to comply with mandated reporting requirements. A modern field workforce management solution with digital as-built capabilities enables utilities to gain real-time visibility into their assets network-wide, deliver the necessary attribute management documentation, and maintain a complete audit trail of historical asset information.
  • Real-time Data Synchronization. Accurate data is critical to demonstrating compliance, yet most utilities use multiple, disparate systems that complicate data management. The right asset management solution shares GIS and other data across multiple applications in real time, notifies operations staff of potential regulatory issues, and automates compliance reporting—improving efficiency while ensuring data integrity. Additionally, a data migration tool like EpochSync Pro enables utilities to overcome the hurdles of getting GIS data into the correct format, so they can leverage the benefits of GIS technology using platforms like the Esri ArcGIS Utility Network. EpochSync Pro seamlessly synchronizes data bidirectionally and accurately between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases.
  • Regulatory Updates and Guidance. A vendor that provides a modern asset management platform will monitor the landscape for regulatory changes and update the system as needed, relieving the burden from the utility’s staff. The vendor will also offer compliance best practices gleaned across many similar organizations.

While regulatory compliance is a chief objective for utilities in Australia and New Zealand, it’s equally important to leverage technology that positions the organization to evolve in response to new demands. Utilities are discovering that a modern field asset management platform can help them future-proof their operations, gain agility, and improve efficiency. Capabilities like the following are must-haves for utilities committed to these goals:

  • Mobile Functionality. Today’s mobile utility workforce needs robust, easy-to-use applications that streamline asset inspection, maintenance, and repair. A map-centric asset management system provides mobile apps and digital forms that speed and simplify tasks, with offline capabilities that ensure the solution is always accessible and the work continues uninterrupted.
  • Predictive Maintenance Analytics. A digitized asset management system helps keep utilities operating reliably by using advanced analytics to predict asset failures, optimize maintenance, and inform strategies for reducing risk.
  • Features that Improve Grid Resilience and Reliability. With climate-related risks on the rise, utilities need a field service management platform that improves infrastructure reliability and resilience in the face of frequent and severe storms, droughts, and other extreme weather. A solution that integrates distributed energy resources, enhances outage management, and speeds outage response is invaluable in this environment.

EpochField: The Solution of Choice for Utilities in Australia and New Zealand

As electric and gas utilities in Australia and New Zealand grapple with complex regulations, stringent climate change mandates, and numerous operational challenges, they recognize that the right technology will position them to meet the demands effectively. Many are finding the solution in EpochField.

EpochField is a map-centric, geospatial-based platform that provides the robust capabilities a utility needs to stay compliant and resilient, deliver power reliably and safely, and meet the growing demand for sustainable power. This scalable, configurable solution provides real-time asset visibility, streamlines field operations, simplifies data management, and improves staff efficiency, while making it easier to maintain compliance amidst a complicated regulatory landscape.

EpochField is the flagship product of Epoch Solutions Group, dedicated to equipping utilities to achieve operational excellence, sustainable growth, and regulatory compliance. We become a true partner to your business, combining our deep utility industry expertise with an innovative, purpose-built solution that meets the demands of electric and gas utilities.

When you choose EpochField, you gain both a solution and a partner that will help your utility meet today’s regulatory and operational challenges and keep you agile and prepared to tackle whatever tomorrow brings.

Contact an Epoch sales consultant to learn how our field service management solution can help your utility maintain compliance and achieve operational excellence. Or visit our Utility Operations Resource Center for insights and resources from the utility experts at Epoch Solutions Group.

2025 Esri User Conference

JULY 14-18, 2025 | SAN DIEGO, CA

Visit with Epoch Solutions Group in Booth #912

Join Epoch Solutions Group in booth #912 for the 2025 Esri User Conference, the world’s largest GIS conference. Join us in discovering new opportunities to streamline your utility field operations with EpochField, leveraging GIS technology and Esri.

Schedule a demo with one of our solution engineers to learn about implementing the best-in-class utility field service software.

Demo Date Demo Time
Tuesday, July 15th, 2025 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday, July 16th, 2025 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday, July 17th, 2025 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM

With EpochField, Learn How to:

  • Leverage real-time insights to take control of your scheduling and dispatching.
  • Manage your workforce on the go with Mobile Workforce Management.
  • Plan, track, and manage your work orders and field service workforce—from the field to the back office.
  • Capture operational data for coordinated asset management, automation, and visibility at all times.

With EpochSync Pro, Learn How to:

  • Synchronize data between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases.
  • Define custom mappings for the development of hybrid data models and attribute manipulation.
  • Transition your team with minimal training.
  • Leverage industry-standard development languages such as .NET, Java and Objective C to build applications on Windows, iOS and Android platforms.

With EpochUN Blueprint, Learn How to:

  • Accelerate Your Migration: Quickly implement the Esri ArcGIS Utility Network with a structured, step-by-step approach, reducing time to productivity.
  • Leverage Certified Expertise: Benefit from the guidance of Esri-certified professionals who have successfully deployed numerous large-scale Utility Network projects.
  • Utilize Industry-Specific Models: Rely on tailored data models designed specifically for the utility industry to ensure a smooth transition.
  • Integrate Multiple Data Sources: Seamlessly migrate from various data sources, like Smallworld and Esri geometric networks, using EpochSync Pro or other tools.

Dominion Energy Selects EpochField to Improve Field Inspections and Maintenance with Accessible, Reliable GIS Data

Project Summary

Project Type:

Implementation of SaaS-based EpochField GIS mapping for users across eight locations, followed soon by integration with the SAP enterprise system to support work order management.

Number of Customers: 

About 6 million

Applications:

To equip line workers with easy access to reliable GIS data on field assets and access roads, facilitating inspections, maintenance, and emergency response work.

Solutions Implemented:

EpochField Work Management, EpochField Mobile, EpochField Workflow Builder, and EpochField Administrator

Member Benefits:

Access up-to-date GIS data in the field, with or without Internet connectivity

Obtain and log accurate details about available access roads

Breadcrumb where field crews have completed work and the best route when returning   

Improve situational awareness during field inspections and maintenance work

Dynamically share work order information bidirectionally between EpochField and SAP

Reduce IT workload by moving to a reliable, supported work order management system

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Introduction

Dominion Energy serves an estimated 6 million customers in 15 states, providing reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy to homes and businesses. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, the publicly traded company employs over 17,000 people all committed to providing reliable electricity and natural gas, protecting the environment, and giving back to the communities where they live and work.

When Dominion Energy’s transmission line workers inspect and maintain assets in the field, obtaining accurate information about on-the-ground conditions and maintenance history is a must. But the utility’s existing map application proved difficult to use on site, especially when Internet connectivity is unreliable. To equip line workers with the data to complete their work accurately and safely, Dominion Energy implemented the EpochField Work Management solution and mobile application in December 2023. The success of this project quickly led to a second initiative, which will integrate EpochField and its work order management capabilities with the utility’s SAP enterprise system.

The Challenge: Accessing Accurate GIS Data in the Field

Dominion Energy’s internally-developed GIS mapping application (leveraging Esri Field Maps) posed significant limitations for field workers in the power delivery group.

“Our line workers had to connect to the Internet to download large mapping files to a hard drive and constantly update them to access accurate information about field assets,” said Matthew Rogers, Supervisor, Electric Transmission Lines Operations. “We needed to implement a more dynamic solution that our employees could easily update while they’re in the field doing climbing inspections, preventative maintenance, or emergency response work.” The utility also needed more reliable information about access road location, which is critical in the rural areas where many utility field crews operate.

The utility’s GIS group was talking with Epoch Solutions Group about other needs across the enterprise, so they were the first provider considered to address the digital mapping requirements of the transmission lines operations team. Dominion Energy quickly dismissed the idea of building a new mapping solution in-house in favor of implementing the EpochField platform and mobile application.

“Epoch Solutions Group listened to our needs and found a way to bring the solution we needed to fruition,” Rogers said. “We explained what we wanted our line workers to see, and we got everything we asked for.”

EpochField checked all the must-have boxes for Dominion Energy, providing a solution that’s easily configured to their needs (without requiring custom development) and easy to use in the field, with mobile capabilities and the ability to access data both online and
offline.

The utility also appreciated that this robust solution would make it easy for field crews to navigate to assets, while providing full visibility into the network structure and available access roads. After talking with EpochField customers and hearing about their exceptional experience with the solution, Dominion Energy was confident in moving ahead.

EpochField: Providing a Modern Solution with Utility-Specific Functionality

Thanks to the intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app, line workers across eight locations in Virginia can access EpochField’s GIS mapping capabilities through their iPads and iPhones. They’re able to work with the GIS mapping application both online or offline to obtain accurate, up-to-date information about utility assets and access roads, with no concerns about Internet reliability.

“If they find a new access road, they can breadcrumb it and the information will update in EpochField dynamically,” Rogers noted. They can also add newfound access roads to the map in EpochField for a more complete view of their work environment. Additionally, the breadcrumb feature enables them to track where they’ve been and document the best route to reach that destination the next time.

“We’ve integrated EpochField with an eNav system that contains all our structure and asset information,” Rogers explained, so a line worker can click on any point on the map in EpochField and get turn-by-turn directions to the site. As a SaaS solution, EpochField has also reduced the IT administrative burden previously required to maintain the internally-developed mapping application.

The Implementation: Smooth and Responsive

Throughout the project, periodic developer meetings and check-ins between EpochField and Dominion Energy’s IT and GIS teams kept everything tracking toward a successful completion on a 10-month timeline. To facilitate a smooth transition, Epoch conducted on-site train-the-trainer sessions for four office-based users, who then trained the transmission line workers.

“The in-person support prior to rollout was especially nice,” Rogers said. “From a project management standpoint, everything just fell into place.”

The Implementation: Smooth and Responsive

The response to the EpochField rollout has been very positive.

“Our line workers like that the EpochField application is basically in their pocket, available on their phone,” Rogers said. They also appreciate that they can provide updated field information to GIS, which reviews it for accuracy and pushes it out via EpochField.

“They like having a hand in the process of moving information from the field to the home office and into the application,” he noted.

Future Plans: Integrating EpochField with SAP

After such a great experience, Dominion Energy is moving forward with another EpochField initiative: Integrating the solution with its SAP enterprise system to improve work order management. The utility has been using an in-house system for field inspection work orders and recognized a tremendous opportunity to gain more robust capabilities and better reliability by using EpochField for this use case.

“SAP is the database for all the details on our assets, including all the work we’ve done on them over 80 years,” Rogers explained. “Being able to exchange that information between SAP and EpochField in a GIS format will provide our teams with better data and improve how they manage inspection work orders.”

The integration with SAP will enable Dominion Energy staff to obtain a visual representation of the area where inspections need to be done, gaining better situational awareness without toggling back and forth between separate mapping and work order applications. And they’ll access much richer historical information about the assets they’re assigned to inspect, gleaning potential clues about why an issue is occurring.

“EpochField will also show them any inspection work orders completed or planned,” Rogers added. If they see a future work order coming up, and they have the time, they can choose to complete the inspection while already at the site.

EpochField’s reliability will prove a further boon, eliminating the IT support required to resolve recurring issues with the in-house work order management application. “It will free our team to focus on other important IT projects,” he noted. The utility expects to have the EpochField/SAP integration live in early 2025.

Conclusion

The EpochField implementation at Dominion Energy underscores the value of leveraging a SaaS solution, purpose-built for utilities, to equip field staff with the data and situational awareness to work effectively and safely. Epoch Solutions Group has transformed transmission line inspection and maintenance at the utility, ensuring the organization can provide reliable power to millions of customers in their service area.

Nashville Electric Service (NES) Speeds and Streamlines Storm Damage Assessment with EpochField

Project Summary

Project Type:

SaaS-based EpochField map viewer and work management
implementation

Locations: 

Middle Tennessee

Number of Members: 

Nearly 430,000

Applications:

To obtain a system of record data capture solution for assessing and tracking storm damage to utility circuits.

Solutions Implemented:

EpochField Work Management
EpochField Mobile
EpochField WebSuite

Member Benefits:

Avoid time spent reconciling damage data across multiple repositories

Deploy storm damage assessment crews faster

Reassign field crews in the moment based on real-time data

Eliminate redundant storm damage field checks

Get storm-related damage repairs in progress sooner

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Introduction

Nashville Electric Service (NES) is one of the 12 largest public electric utilities in the US, serving Middle Tennessee customers since 1939. The company distributes power to nearly 430,000 customers across a 700-square-mile service area that encompasses Nashville, Davidson County, and parts of six surrounding counties, through some 5,900 miles of distribution and transmission lines.

When a storm hits, assessing the damage to utility circuits quickly and accurately is essential to getting power restored. But the lack of a single data repository made it difficult to accomplish that goal. To improve the task of assessing and responding to storm damage, NES implemented the EpochField Work Management solution and mobile app in January 2024.

The Challenge: Conflicting Data Made Damage Assessment Difficult

“We need to get crews assigned quickly to the circuits we believe are most damaged after a storm,” said John Savary, NES Technical Lead. “But the process for assessing and tracking storm damage proved time consuming, inefficient, and error prone.” Though NES had moved from manual maps to the ArcGIS Online/Field Maps app, there was no single system of record for storm damage assessment data.

Instead, the Engineering team would use ArcGIS data to identify damaged circuits and assign crews to assess the situation on the ground. Their completed damage forms would populate a dashboard that informed real-time decisions on where to send repair crews and how to prioritize the work. Concurrently, a Systems Control team in Operations was collecting similar information submitted by field crews and operational centers via email, text, and phone, then creating a spreadsheet summarizing the data.

Without one system of record, many staff hours were spent reconciling the two repositories. “And because we didn’t have consistent data on work progress, some crews were going over the same circuit multiple times, wasting more hours and many vehicle miles,” said Savary, who served as the main technical contact for the project. Accurately assigning contractors to conduct post-storm repair checks also proved difficult. Even gathering the necessary information to report to Accounting and FEMA was challenging, jeopardizing the utility’s efforts to quantify and recover storm damage costs.

EpochField: Providing a System of Record that Streamlines Damage Assessment

EpochField will address all those challenges by becoming NES’s system of record for gathering and tracking storm damage assessments and subsequent field checks. This single repository will track which circuits have been assessed for damage and the findings, automatically triggering utility work orders within EpochField for the necessary repairs.

All storm damage-related data can reside within EpochField, color-coded by voltage, using readily recognizable symbols to represent common field assets for quick reference. And since the system can access NES’s outage and customer call system, it will be much easier to determine where damage is occurring and allocate field crews optimally.

In the field, NES assessors will use the system’s circuit tracing capabilities to identify which circuits and lines are affected and which control points are involved, with the ability to “breadcrumb” the areas they’ve inspected and note completed work using an auto-complete feature. Back in the war room, Operations can use the EpochField mobile app to trace circuits back to protection equipment, track the damage assessment effort, evaluate response times and percentage completion, post-storm inventory, and dynamically reassign assessors as the work progresses.

In the aftermath of a storm, EpochField’s offline access will prove invaluable in the field. “Our crews can keep accessing maps and gathering GIS data even without an Internet connection or cell phone access,” Savary said.

EpochField will even improve NES’s pre-storm planning. “We can organize our Tier 1 and Tier 2 resources and assign them to circuits in advance to reduce our preparation lead time,” Savary explained. “We’ll be able to get crews out at first light.”

The Implementation: "Best We've Ever Experienced"

“This was probably the best software implementation experience I’ve had in over 20 years working with vendors,” Savary said. He credits the Epoch Solutions Group team’s expertise, transparency, and communication as key drivers of the project’s success, along with their detailed approach to identifying the project requirements and the utility’s desired functionality.

“Epoch’s support was great during user acceptance testing and our internal mock storm testing and training,” he added. “They were always willing to go above and beyond.” Epoch’s Technical Lead even went on site during the utility’s field testing and was on call during multiple mock storm tests to provide support and answer questions on the spot.

The Results: Fast, Accurate Response Without the Waste of Data Reconciliation & Duplicate Work

NES will save significant staff time by eliminating labor-intensive data reconciliation steps and improving data accuracy. Before, an average-length storm involving three to four days of assessment required about 150 staff hours just to reconcile data from disparate sources. Another 25-40 hours was typically spent tracking down information to submit to FEMA for storm cost recovery. And that doesn’t include the untold hours wasted on duplicate field checks.

With EpochField serving as a single repository for storm damage assessment data, unnecessary steps will be eliminated, staff hours will be dramatically reduced, and the process significantly streamlined. “EpochField will allow us to efficiently organize resources, track progress in the office and the field, deploy crews faster, inventory repaired equipment more accurately with less effort, and supply all our field users with
our GIS maps,” Savary said. “Now, we can all be on the same page during and after a storm.”

Future Plan: More Ways to Leverage EpochField

Savary sees the potential for EpochField to improve efficiency at NES in other ways. Down the road, NES hopes to use the utility work scheduler to streamline vegetation management and manage Tennessee One-Calls during storm restoration efforts, as well as develop workflows for its pole inspection program and field
checking of design and as-built jobs.

Conclusion

The EpochField implementation at NES is a prime example of how leading utilities are employing SaaS utility software to respond to a dynamic landscape, where severe storms are more common and response speed more critical than ever. By enabling NES to leverage GIS data in a more streamlined way, Epoch Solutions Group is empowering the utility to improve efficiency and save hundreds of hours, enhance customer service, and ensure worker safety in the face of devastating storms.

SECO Energy Enhances GIS Capabilities with EpochSync

Project Summary

Project Type:

Smallworld to Esri GIS data sync

Locations: 

Central Florida

Number of Customers: 

230,000 +

Applications:

To enhance GIS capabilities to streamline operations and improve service delivery

Solutions Implemented:

EpochSync

Customer Benefits

Reliable way to sync Smallworld data to an Esri Geodatabase

Hundreds of man-hours saved annually

Enhanced operational efficiency

Improve member satisfaction

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Introduction

SECO Energy, a not-for-profit electric cooperative, serves almost 250,000 homes and businesses across seven counties in Central Florida. As the third-largest electric co-op in Florida and the seventh-largest in the nation, SECO has been delivering reliable power, excellent service, and low rates since 1938. The organization’s extensive network management and member service have been supported by a robust IT infrastructure. However, the changing dynamics of utility management and the increasing complexity of data integration presented SECO with a significant challenge: enhancing its GIS capabilities to streamline operations and improve member satisfaction.

The Challenge: Integrating System of Record with Modern GIS Capabilities as System of Engagement

SECO’s GIS data, essential for managing its extensive network, is housed in GE Smallworld. This system of record, while robust, limited SECO’s ability to fully utilize the advanced tools and technologies available in the Esri environment. The need for a solution that could seamlessly integrate these two platforms was clear.

Barry Owens, Manager of Geospatial Services, spearheaded the initiative to find a solution. “Our focus was to gain the mapping and analytics functionality of the Esri platform and to extend our GIS data out to an environment where Esri tools and technologies could be utilized. We wanted to do this through an efficient and stable solution that didn’t require daily manual intervention,” Owens explained.

EpochSync: The Bridge Between System of Record and System of Engagement

EpochSync emerged as the ideal solution for SECO’s needs. EpochSync, specifically designed to synchronize data between Smallworld and Esri, represents the bridge between SECO’s system of record and its system of engagement. Its comprehensive configuration XML file ensured better access to mapping, while hard-coded asset groups and types guaranteed precision in data handling, further engaging their membership. The in-built special Esri functionalities, including examples for containment and structural associations, enhanced its appeal.

“EpochSync offered the most reliable and painless way to synchronize our Smallworld data to an Esri Geodatabase,” Owens noted, emphasizing its efficiency and ease of use compared to other tools. “While we previously utilized other tools for this type of data extraction, they required hands-on management of the system,” said Owens.

The Implementation: A Seamless Transition

The implementation of EpochSync at SECO was overseen by key decision-makers, including Owens and Charles White, Applications Programming Supervisor. The process was smooth and efficient, reflecting the solution’s design with Esri’s complexities in mind. “The unremarkable nature of EpochSync’s implementation underscored its painless and straightforward process,” White recalled.

The Results: Saving Hundreds of Hours Each Year and Gaining Enhanced Efficiency, Precision, and Member Satisfaction

The impact of EpochSync on SECO’s operations was significant. The automated synchronization process saves significant man-hours annually, allowing the team to focus on strategic tasks. “EpochSync’s automation is the key to SECO’s ability to reduce hundreds of hands-on hours each year,” Owens stated.

The precision in data handling ensured by EpochSync’s accurate object mapping and handling of Esri associations maintains data integrity throughout the transition. This precision is critical in managing SECO’s extensive network and maintaining high member service standards. The integration with Esri platforms has also enabled SECO to utilize advanced GIS tools for various operational and business processes, improving overall efficiency and decision-making.

Future Prospects: Leveraging Data for Advanced Applications

Looking ahead, SECO is exploring opportunities to leverage the EpochSync database in Microsoft Power Platforms, particularly Power BI. This move will aim to enhance data analysis capabilities, further improving decision-making processes. Additionally, SECO has now set up the foundation to implement EpochField as a data collection tool which will drive even more optimized operations for the organization.

Expanding the Horizon: SECO's Ongoing Journey with EpochSync

The journey with EpochSync extends beyond its implementation. SECO continues to explore the myriad possibilities that this advanced tool offers. The utility is now better equipped to handle large-scale data, manage complex network systems, and provide enhanced member service. The ability to share GIS data with external sources for improved situational awareness has also been a significant advantage.

Conclusion

SECO Energy’s implementation of EpochSync is a testament to the transformative power of integrating the right technology in utility operations. This strategic move has streamlined SECO’s GIS data management and opened new avenues for data visualization and operational efficiency while strengthening member satisfaction.

SECO’s experience serves as a benchmark for GIS data management in the utility sector, showcasing how innovative solutions can lead to significant improvements in service delivery and operational excellence. In today’s dynamic utility landscape, SECO Energy is a prime example of how seamless data integration can position a business at the forefront of utility data management.

BC Hydro Successfully Leverages the Power of GIS Technology from Multiple Providers

Posted on by Epoch Solutions Group

Electric utilities face unprecedented challenges in today’s dynamic and quickly evolving energy landscape. Navigating the complexities of adapting to changing regulations and standards, exceeding higher consumer expectations, upgrading legacy IT systems and aging infrastructure, addressing technology constraints, meeting the ever-increasing demand for energy, confronting extreme weather patterns and moving away from fossil fuel sources, all while delivering reliable and affordable electric service, present utilities with an array of hurdles.

In response to these daunting obstacles, utilities are investing in grid modernization, transitioning to renewable energy sources, focusing on effectively navigating regulatory pressures, and engaging with customers in new ways.

For BC Hydro, generating and delivering electricity to 95% of the population of British Columbia, Canada, involves 30 hydroelectric plants and a network of more than 80,000 kilometers of power lines that transport power across a varied terrain. Ensuring reliable service to more than five million customers in this demanding environment requires ready access to robust GIS data.

Since the utility’s GIS information for transmission and distribution resided in GE Smallworld, the organization sought more tools to work with that data effectively.

Read more on Electric Energy Online >

5 Trends That Will Impact Utilities in 2024

Posted on by Epoch Solutions Group
The environment that utilities operate in is more complex and volatile than ever, with significant forces impacting the ability to plan effectively and meet every stakeholder’s needs. James Street, CEO of Epoch Solutions Group, reviews the five trends he believes will have a major influence on utilities in the coming year.

1. Climate risks and electrification are stressing the grid.

More frequent and severe storms have become the norm and are expected to continue for the foreseeable future. While hurricanes have always been a concern, convective storms, extreme heat, and wildfires are also on the rise, placing more pressure on the grid. For example, a McKinsey report forecasts that by 2030, Minnesota will see a 75 percent rise in extreme heat days and Colorado will see a 29 percent increase in severe thunderstorm frequency. Almost 90 percent of the western US could experience as many as 30 high Fire Weather Index days annually. And persistent droughts are making it tougher for thermal and hydroelectric utilities to ensure reliable power. With much of the industry’s infrastructure assets well beyond their intended lifespan, extreme weather also becomes more difficult to respond to, resulting in more temperature-induced power line losses and longer power interruptions. The electrification trend and rising data center power use are likewise stressing the grid in ways we couldn’t foresee just a decade ago. As consumers and businesses adopt electric vehicles and favor electric heat pumps, electricity demand is escalating. And as AI, blockchain, and cloud computing become more prevalent, they’re driving up data center power consumption. With seasonal load profiles changing and electricity demand rising, utilities face greater pressure to ensure grid reliability and performance. In this disruptive environment, field asset management and vegetation management become more difficult yet more critical, demanding digitized, flexible platforms that enable utility staff to complete these tasks efficiently and accurately.

2. Grid planning is becoming more complex.

A dynamic and volatile environment will continue to complicate holistic grid planning that’s designed to manage growth, improve reliability, and enhance resilience. For example, dispersed and aging infrastructures, outdated technology, changing regulations, and evolving risks all make it more difficult to plan and manage field assets effectively. That includes assessing and monitoring asset health and risk, managing vegetation risk, and deploying field resources optimally, both for proactive, scheduled work and emergency situations. The increase in bidirectionality is only adding to grid planning complexity. Millions of devices at the edge—including solar panels, electric vehicles, and smart thermostats—are now participating in power generation and impacting grid behavior. This trend will make it more vital, though more complicated, to model and manage utility assets in the context of rising risks, changing customer behaviors, and aging assets. Enhanced modeling and asset management solutions will prove increasingly critical, especially to help field crews work optimally during regular operations and mutual assistance scenarios. With access to real-time information about live and offline assets, utilities can improve asset management planning by empowering field crews with accurate data and enhanced situational awareness.

3. New government policies are posing new requirements for utilities.

While government policy always has the potential to impact utility operations, two of the latest rules from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will likely require utilities to meet new requirements for ensuring gird reliability. One such rule directs the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop a standard around transmission system planning for extreme heat and cold weather conditions. Another requires power transmission providers to report on their policies and processes for conducting extreme weather vulnerability assessments and identifying strategies to mitigate these risks. In addition, several energy policies aim to advance smart grid technology that has the potential to help electricity distributors reduce costs, improve reliability, and meet the challenge of balancing supply and demand. Though there are significant benefits to be realized, developing and implementing smart grid technology will require major capital investments. Many utilities are already moving ahead with smart grid systems that employ two-way communication and intelligent devices, aided by various US Department of Energy grant programs.

4. Government investment is facilitating the clean energy transition, but risks and challenges will remain.

Renewable energy adoption is increasing rapidly, now accounting for about one-fifth of US total power. With world leaders agreeing to new climate goals at the recent COP28 summit, that figure is set to rise significantly. Governments worldwide are providing financial incentives to ease the energy transition for power companies, with the US alone committing billions through the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The IRA extends and modifies key tax credits for renewable energy investment and production, funds the acceleration of new energy infrastructure siting, and incentivizes carbon capture, while the IIJA is funding infrastructure modernizations that support clean energy expansion and improve resilience. Despite such financial assistance, along with the opportunity that the clean energy transition offers come a host of challenges for utilities. Renewable energy sources can be intermittent, yet consumers and businesses demand stable, reliable power. New energy sources take time to scale, but power demand is rising dramatically. The ability to plan effectively during this critical transition will require enhanced systems and better access to data that can help utilities make informed decisions about deploying and optimizing assets amidst change and unpredictability.

5. The digital technology transformation is helping utilities tackle emerging challenges.

Many utilities are finding that the transformation to digital technologies can help them meet new challenges, address emerging requirements, and adapt to continued change. In particular, they’re shifting away from legacy systems to more flexible and integrated platforms that support new ways of working. The move to cloud-based solutions, GIS-based applications, and digitized field service workflows, along with the integration of disparate systems and data sources, is helping leading utilities leverage data and technology to transform their operations and meet new challenges head-on. In modernizing their technology infrastructure and applications, utilities are prioritizing use cases that demonstrate the greatest tangible value. For example, a geospatial software platform that syncs asset data in real-time across disparate systems, applications, and devices can yield high ROI by giving operations and field teams the visibility and situational awareness to work more efficiently and safely. These digitized platforms also provide access to the data needed to prevent the disastrous consequences of unmanaged vegetation impacting power lines brought down by extreme weather, as well as inspect and manage joint use assets like poles, wires, and circuits to reduce costs and avoid redundancies.

Why Utilities Are Partnering with Epoch Solutions Group

Leading utilities recognize the value of partnering with a solutions provider that can help them meet new requirements and challenges at a time of great change and uncertainty. For many utilities, that partner is Epoch Solutions Group. Our EpochField solution leverages geospatial technology to help utilities improve field asset management, reduce costs, and minimize breakdowns and outages. This geospatial workforce management platform is empowering utilities across the US to meet reliability requirements, enhance safety, ensure power availability, and maintain compliance in a volatile environment. Schedule an EpochField demo to see how this solution can help you meet emerging challenges.
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The Latest Impacts of Grid Strain, Microgrids, and Other Trends Affecting the Utility Industry

In January 2023, Epoch Solutions Group CEO James Street met with energy industry forecaster Peter Kelly-Detwiler to discuss the growth of new technology, energy sources, and increasingly complex distribution grids. A lot has happened since then, including more severe weather events impacting an aging infrastructure, the growth of electric vehicles putting more strain on the grid, and increased use of microgrids to help ease the strain.
 
Peter and James met again in September 2023 to review the trends they have seen throughout the year, the impact they have had on the industry, and how utilities can adapt and thrive by prioritizing proper asset management strategies and technologies. Download the webinar to get insight from Peter on how your utility company can stay at the forefront of the trends affecting the industry and your utility company in the years to come.

Download the Webinar Recording

James Street

James Street
Epoch Solutions Group Founder & CEO

Peter Kelly-Detwiler

Peter Kelly-Detwiler
Energy Industry Thought Leader: Author, Consultant, Speaker

Future-Proofing Our Grid: Tackling Challenges and Embracing Change

Posted on by Epoch Solutions Group

Our nation’s electrical grid is a crucial resource, providing safe energy across the country. While it has been reliable for a long time, it is now facing mounting pressure from various sources, threatening its stability. Utilities and regulatory agencies are being forced to respond and act to proactively address these challenges, which include reducing carbon emissions and addressing issues related to global climate change. Additionally, there’s a growing need to decentralize energy to reduce reliance on a single power source due to the increasing demands of our population and product usage, which strains available resources.

The increasing frequency of extreme weather events, such as polar vortexes and powerful hurricanes, poses significant difficulties for utilities in planning and anticipating outages. As power outages continue to increase, digital-first consumers and businesses who demand real-time information about power restoration are affected. GIS asset management tools play a vital role in enabling deep situational awareness and quick response.

Read the full article >

Drive Efficiency & Unlock the Power of Location: Geospatial Solutions for Electric Utility Asset Management

Managing your electric utility’s field assets in a way that reduces outages, reduces risks, and improves service has never been more challenging. The EpochField enterprise asset management tools help you drive down costs, improve service response, and avoid equipment failures by conducting more effective, proactive asset maintenance.

View this demo of EpochField’s asset management features to see firsthand how its GIS technology, map-centric interface, and other features can help you maintain, service and trace your field assets more efficiently.

To Migrate GE Smallworld Data to Esri, Utilities like BC Hydro Turn to EpochSync

Posted on by Epoch Solutions Group

Many utilities struggle to utilize their GIS data effectively across the enterprise, especially when that data resides within GE Smallworld. With more utilities looking to leverage the power of Esri’s ArcGIS Utility Network to gain more functionality—especially for huge datasets—the ability to migrate Smallworld data to the Esri platform is becoming a must.

So when BC Hydro faced limitations in the tools it could use to work with its transmission and distribution GIS information effectively, the company knew it was essential to make its Smallworld data accessible on Esri.

As IT Advisor Evan Schwab noted, “Other business groups in the company, like our power generation group, were using Esri for GIS data. While we currently have two GIS systems, we’re looking to develop new capabilities on the Esri platform going forward.”

Eager to gain ready access to the GIS data required to provide reliable service to more than 50 million customers, BC Hydro turned to Epoch Solutions Group’s EpochSync automated data migration tool. This scalable solution synchronizes data between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases, enabling even the largest utilities to easily migrate Smallworld data to an Esri geodatabase.

Once the initial synchronization is done, EpochSync only needs to perform periodic data synchronizations, ensuring just the incremental data changes are synchronized. And through a .NET-based user interface and Smallworld Magik components, EpochSync makes it easy to develop flexible mappings that support data syncing between different data models, empowering a utility’s staff to create those mappings to extract data with minimal training.

At BC Hydro, EpochSync provides a “set it and forget it” solution that runs nightly and is easy for internal staff to configure and maintain. Now, this British Columbia-based utility can use tools like ArcGIS Story Maps to develop distribution planning maps and share GIS data with external groups to provide much-needed situational awareness when major events happen.

Read the BC Hydro case study to discover all the business benefits that EpochSync provides for leading utilities.