Power Line Data Key to Improved Disaster Response

We’ve all heard the phrases “you can’t improve what you can’t measure” and “knowledge is power,” and one way that companies in the electric utility sector can boost their knowledge and their ability to improve is by gathering and analyzing power line data.  The purpose of this post is to highlight what power line data may be available and how it can benefit electric utilities.

How to Leverage Power Line Data for Better Decision-Making

Electric utilities theoretically have access to a wide swath of data points involving power lines.  For example, data can be gathered on aging or failing equipment, where tree trimming is needed, and an asset’s proximity to high-impact areas to name just a few.  This intelligence can help improve asset management and maintenance efficacy, as well as emergency response.

For example, vegetation intelligence can be used to prioritize planned blackouts in California (i.e., the dreaded Public Safety Power Shutoffs or PSPS).  Power line data can also be used to improve a utility’s ability to engage in proactive repairs and maintenance, extending the shelf life of equipment and improving reliability.  It can also help quantify risks by, for example, helping to understand which equipment is located in close proximity to flammable structures. 

Best of all, much of the available data is not something that only emerges during emergency situations – it’s always there, and because of this, it can help reduce outage restoration times. 

But as they say, that’s not all, folks.  Power line data can also be used to help with damage assessment after a storm has passed.  For example, data can show downed poles, freshly fallen trees on lines, and similar causes of outages, allowing restoration activities to be better prioritized for a faster recovery time. 

The bottom line is that good decisions rely on good data, so it stands to reason that any improvement in data availability and quality will have a positive impact on disaster response.