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Mobile GIS at Jackson Energy Authority - A Case Study

Mobile GIS at Jackson Energy Authority - A Case Study. Charlie Marlin - Graphic Technologies, Inc. (GTI). Jackson Energy Authority (JEA). Madison County, Tennessee Population: 92,000 people 37,000 households. Jackson Energy Authority (JEA). Multiple Utilities: Electric 33,589

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Mobile GIS at Jackson Energy Authority - A Case Study

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  1. Mobile GIS at Jackson Energy Authority - A Case Study Charlie Marlin - Graphic Technologies, Inc. (GTI)

  2. Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) • Madison County, Tennessee • Population: 92,000 people 37,000 households

  3. Jackson Energy Authority (JEA) Multiple Utilities: • Electric 33,589 • Gas customers 28,760 • Water customers 33,856 • Waste water 27,519 • Propane customers: 3,131 • Fiber 14,485

  4. Jackson Energy Authority – GIS • GIS in place for several years • Added mobile GIS in summer of 2004 • Extract data from GIS and copy to laptops • Disconnected view, analysis, and sketch • Data refreshed weekly via WLAN

  5. JEA – Mobile Use (Electric) • Each crew foreman has a laptop with the data • Asset identification in the field: What is this? • Preliminary design sketch using redline layer

  6. JEA – Mobile Use (Gas) • Asset identification in the field: What is this? • Preliminary design sketch using redline layer • Related documents

  7. JEA – Mobile Use (Water and Waste Water) • Asset identification in the field: What is this? • Layout has been done by property developer • Facilities built by property developer • Facilities purchased by JEA if meet approval

  8. JEA – Mobile Use (Propane) • Asset identification in the field • Is this one ours? • Smaller number of customers

  9. JEA – Mobile Use (Communications) • Asset identification in the field: What is this?

  10. JEA Special Project 1 Color-code fire hydrants by pressure • Use mobile GIS to identify hydrants and pressure • Three paint colors

  11. JEA Special Project 2 Lock Change-out • Chain link fence with padlock around each gang-operated switch • Mobile GIS for navigating and locating • Task performed by summer students • Reduce labor costs – technology allows a less experienced, less skilled person do the work

  12. JEA Special Project 3 Vegetation Management (7 syllables) Tree-trimming (2.5 syllables) • Contractor gets laptop with mobile GIS data • Records enable continuous improvement • Rates of growth • Frequent-cut corridors • All marked on map

  13. JEA Special Project 4 Pole inspection • Preservative treatment • Ground condition • (other utilities do joint use audit) • Mobile GIS aids in navigation, identification, and recording of inspection on the spot • Inspection results go back to office without re-entry

  14. JEA Special Project 5 Coordinate switching operations • Everyone on the same page • Field worker on radio to Operation Center tells them what he is about to do • Operation Center makes change a the same time • Safety benefit

  15. JEA – Rugged or Non-rugged Decision to go with Non-rugged laptop • Ownership by users • Consider their personal machine • Permitted to use at home for email • Many departments (and some individuals) bought hard-shell cases with foam inserts • Some individuals bought laser mouse • Failure rate: one lost in three years • Every machine still viable • Now at end of service life, to be replaced

  16. JEA – Rugged or Non-rugged Alternate approach • Bolt to truck mount • Laptop never leaves the truck • Non-rugged failure rate: 100% JEA conclusion: • If running all the time, probably need rugged laptop. • If unpack for each use, non-rugged probably OK.

  17. Benefits: hard, soft, and in-between

  18. Benefits: hard, soft, and in-between • Sharply reduced printing of paper maps JEA estimates annual savings of $50,000 • Efficiency • More production with same number of people • Reduced radio and phone calls to Operations Center • Volume down over 50% • No more questions about measurements: “How many feet from the street centerline is the gas main?” • Picture worth 1,000 words • Considered primary benefit

  19. Benefits: hard, soft, and in-between • Dig in the right spot • Safety. How much does an accident cost? • Zero downtime for GIS data.

  20. Benefits: hard, soft, and in-between • Morale, trust, empowered workforce • Build skills for future technology • Better decisions in the field • Less time to reach a good decision • People who use the mobile GIS came up with the best ideas. The hydrant painting use did not come from IT.

  21. Costs: hardware, software, infrastructure • Major cost component • Hardware decisions • Rugged or not. • Half-rugged? • Laptop, hand-held, phone, “tweener

  22. Costs: hardware, software, infrastructure • Usually the least cost component • Implementation options • Major GIS vendors • Third-party vendors • In-house solutions

  23. Costs: hardware, software, infrastructure • Much of the infrastructure cost is sunk. GIS system and corporate network already in place. • Additional infrastructure to support mobile GIS: • Need stable pipeline from server to local office. Had wireless routers. Invested in switch gear. • Diverted IT staff time. May consider “sunk”. • R&D needs to be recognized as a cost. “research and discovery”. Flounder until get the light-bulb moment. • Battery life is a factor. Bought new power inverters for trucks.

  24. Summary • Mobile GIS is not impossible • In fact, it is a high-leverage application • Many thanks to Jon Taylor at JEA

  25. Thank you! Questions?

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