Recently SSP has published articles bringing to light how the Utility Network allows utilities to model the different tiers of data within their GIS, specifically Station Data.  Having worked at a utility I have seen firsthand that electric substation data is mostly nonexistent in GIS.  Sure, there are probably circuit breakers for the distribution circuits, but past that it probably only exists in AutoCAD, and maybe an asset management system.

With the ability to now model “digital twin” or “real world” models of the Generation, Transmission, and Distribution network tiers that don’t have to happen anymore.  With Utility Network we can accurately model all of the Substation internals (Busbars, CT’s, PT’s, Switches, Breakers, station services, and the list goes on.)  As my colleague David Miller mentioned in his earlier article –Station Data for the Utility Network: The missing Link  “It really depends on how much detail you require to meet your needs.”  One of the biggest advantages of the Utility Network is it allows you to customize the model in order to get the results necessary for the organization.

Most likely this information will have to be created from possibly many disparate sources.

As we do with every Data project at SSP, it all starts with getting the Specification document right from the beginning. No matter how much time you think you need to spend working on this living breathing document you will almost certainly end up spending much more, and it will be totally worth the effort.  There really are no short cuts here, working through this process will ensure that you have the information necessary to meet the needs of your organization. The Specification document should lead you thru all the potential features, their attributes, rules for connectivity, and even symbology and labeling.  Nothing good will come from having to constantly stop your editing process to update your data model!

A complete model of the substation allows for the sharing of information contained within varied platforms benefitting a range of groups in the organization.  Exporting to an OMS or EA Analysis or ADMS can save time by reducing the creation of the same data within multiple systems, which should also mitigate the risk of potentially conflicting information about the same equipment.  Substation diagrams are more easily created and maintained within this “one version of the truth”.

How much data is needed?  That is a great question, and the answer will depend on what you’re trying to accomplish and what your end-users need to see, and possibly what external systems are dependent upon this data.  A perfect example of this is busbars.  Most users of substation data are used to seeing busbars within the organization’s substation diagrams.  With advances in the ESRI software, the capability exists to connect features through connectivity associations.  These connectivity associations allow you to model connectivity between two features that are not coincident. Now that may work for some and not so much for others.  Maybe your organization needs to see the busbars to understand where your different voltage Bus networks are located within the substation and how they connect.  Utility Network allows the flexibility to allow for a solution that meets your organization’s needs.

In addition to connectivity associations, the UN provides the ability to create terminals (logical ports, entries, or exit locations for point features.)  Below is an example of connectivity associations and terminals.

transformer model as a two-terminal configuration, but it can be just as easily modeled as a five terminal device to show 2 High side bushing and 3 Low side bushing.  With these options now available substations can be modeled to a high level of accuracy and allow for tracing between Transmission substations, the substation internal networks, and down to the distribution side.

Please join us on July 9^th for the digital Illuminate webinar series as David Miller discusses Stations: The Missing Link in the Utility Network.  We will be discussing what utilities can do to fill this critical missing piece of data for their gas and electric systems and what we have done for different clients.