A new study conducted by Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) concludes that utilities in the United States need to “correct, update, and integrate customer and infrastructure data before a smart grid can be effectively implemented.” Of the 226 study respondents, 71 percent view geographic information system (GIS) technology as strategic to the smart grid; the remaining 29 percent believe GIS plays a significant role. According to the study, utilities report a lag time of up to 90 days to move data from the field into the GIS. Data accuracy is reportedly spotty, and data is either incomplete or not GPS accurate.

Utility operators will need GIS for crucial smart grid requirements such as collecting and updating data and managing the installation of smart meters and sensors. GIS is also seen as a critical tool for analyzing energy consumption and incorporating renewable energy resources.

Bill Meehan, utility solutions director for GIS software company Esri, says, “Simply put, GIS facilitates the building and operation of a smart grid. However, many utilities in the United States acknowledge that the data in their GIS is not ready for the smart grid. Without accurate data and GIS for monitoring things like demand response and consumer behavior, the smart grid may not live up to its lofty expectations.”

Meehan also told the Redmond Daily Facts, “Utilities (will) need much more information about the status of electrical systems, where they’re located - and that’s what GIS does. It helps them understand where their facilities are located, where all their customers who have computerized meters are.”  All major utilities in the United States use GIS in some form, Meehan says, 
although the technology has “capabilities most utilities haven’t utilized at this point.”

To view study results, watch the video, and learn more about the role of GIS in the smart grid, visit www.esri.com/smartgridstudy.

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