inside your co-op
Building A Map For the Future
GIS mapping is key to improved communications, system reliability, and reduced outages
with advanced mapping technology known as GIS, the power lines can.
T
Kiamichi Electric Cooperative is investing in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) by hiring an engineering firm to accurately plot the location of poles, power lines, transformers, meters, substations along Kiamichi Electric's 4,092-mile electric system. The process will take a year to complete, but the payoff is worth it, said Kiamichi Electric CEO Brett Orme.
"GIS provides us with an extremely accurate geographical map that will serve as a foundation for improving co-op operations, response times, reliability and system efficiency," he explained.
GIS uses a combination of software, hardware, geographical details, maps, and data capture, storage, and analytics, to help electric utilities with all aspects of their operations.
Unlike flat paper maps, GIS consists of several digital layers able to document many features. The more detailed the layers, the more useful a GIS map becomes.
For instance, Kiamichi Electric could have its members, service territory, roads, power lines, utility poles, transformers and substations recorded as separate layers. Recording details such as utility pole size and age could be useful for predicting wind damage before a major storm hits. A power line layer could be studied alongside aerial photographs to spot potential problems caused by overhanging trees.
The resulting information could save the cooperative time and money in virtually all areas of its operations. For instance, traditional responses to an outage often
rees can't tell your electric co- op where they are when they crash into power lines, but
Watch for GIS Mapping Teams Working Near You
Don't be alarmed if you notice trucks and personnel from RM Engineering driving around your area. Kiamichi Electric hired the firm to mark the location of power poles and other co-op infrastructure using GIS technology. The teams will be working their way across the co-op system for the next year.
If you have questions about their work, please call your co-op at 800-888-2731. Thank you for your cooperation!
relied on visual assessments of damage. Co-op linemen would travel to an area, walk the line on foot to locate the problem, and then radio back to the office for any necessary construction materials.
With GIS technology, co-op personnel in the office can detect power problems on a digital map and assess repair needs before dispatching a crew to the outage area.
Furthermore, GIS integrates easily with Kiamichi Electric's other internal systems —outage management, customer service, engineering, field operations, member communications, and more.
The resulting cache of data can be analyzed and interpretted to reduce line loss, improve power delivery, reduce maintenance costs, and even improve relations with members. For electric co-ops such as Kiamichi Electric, GIS is the first step to a more efficient future.
Who to call
at your co-op Kiamichi Electric Cooperative is dedicated to providing excellent service for its members. The following employees are available to help you when you have questions regarding your electric service. Please call 800-888-2731 or 918-465-2338, or email questions to your co-op at
support@kiamichielectric.org.
administration Brett Orme, Chief Executive Officer Linda Baldwin, Executive Assistant
operations Bob Owens, Manager of Operations Tony Nixon, Manager of Construction Kevin Davis, Manager of Engineering
office services Crystal Butler, Chief Financial Officer Renae Taylor, Customer Service Supervisor Charlie Watkins, Chief Customer Service Representative Mandi Barnes, Customer Service Representative Rashell Ward, Customer Service Representative Susan Conley, Customer Service Representative Nancy Wiliams, Customer Service Representative Dana Meaders, Customer Service Representative Kimberly West, Customer Service Representative
purchasing Sharla Blackledge, Manager of Procurement
meter services Cindy Cockburn, AMR Systems Coordinator Rick Sheppard, Meter Technician Jakiebeth Ben, Connect-Disconnect Clerk
new services Jodie Miller, New Services Representative Wendy McCarley, New Services Representative
accounting Michael Cawley, Accountant Julie Guazdausky, Assistant Accountant
engineering Allen Littlejohn, Field Staking Technician Chris Alexander, Field Staking Technician
dispatching services Mitch Eacret, Dispatcher Heather Ziverk, Operations & Engineering Clerk
public relations/member relations Todd Minshall, MR-PR Director
Light Post | january - february 2017 | 3
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