DIGITALLY

TRANSFORMING
UTILITIES

A COMPREHENSIVE GIS
Electric and Gas Utilities
 Introduction
Overcoming the challenges being faced by
utilities today seems overwhelming at times.
However, utility issues and solutions have one
thing in common: location. It’s hard to think of
a utility process that ignores location. Around
the globe, utilities use maps. Why? Utilities
work better using location intelligence.

Most utilities use geographic information

system (GIS) technology as a foundation
for mapping. However, limiting GIS use to
the digital replacement of paper maps is a
profound underutilization—a lost advantage to
address new challenges.

ArcGIS® software is an extensive information

system that enables new results—solutions that
devour underutilized data, harness analytics,
and run on any device. Engaging apps tailored
to each user’s role transform utilities.

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Contents
4 Thriving in a Changing 11 System of Insight—
Industry What Is Your Data
Telling You?
5 The Language of Location
12 A Comprehensive GIS
Supports Your Needs
6 Mature Systems Deliver
Business Value
13 The Geographic Approach
7 A Complete GIS—
More Than Making Maps 15 A Basis for Solutions

8 System of Record—How 16 About Esri

Complete Is Your Data?

9 System of Engagement—
How Many Are Actually
Using Your Data?

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 CoServ, one of the nation’s largest co-op utilities, uses location
intelligence to digitally transform its organization.

Thriving in a Changing Industry

The electric and gas industries are in Organizations choose ArcGIS to make
motion. Utilities face changes in every area better maps because location is central to
of their business. They work hard to adapt utility assets, customers, and employees.
to and leverage digital technology. Yet But ArcGIS is more than mapmaking
they often face tomorrow’s challenges with technology. It is a comprehensive
yesterday’s methods. enterprise system. It integrates all kinds
of data and performs advanced analytics.
In the struggle to remain relevant It also makes those results conveniently
and thrive, utilities look to advanced available to everyone.
technologies and ArcGIS.
GIS catalyzes the improvements utilities
desperately seek today and will be seeking
tomorrow.

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The Language of Location
Utilities have made substantial investments in Employees from different departments
technology to address business problems. Yet speak their own lingo and have the following
these solutions have largely automated manual problems:
processes, reinforcing silos with suboptimal • Their data is different from other
results. Today’s problems require next-level departments’.
improvements. These improvements demand a
• They struggle to understand each other.
better understanding of network behavior and
customer expectations. • They need a common language to work
together.
Utilities’ issues and solutions have one thing in
common—location: That language is location. A map turns huge
datasets into colorful pictures, quickly revealing
• Where are outages occurring?
the underlying business meaning. ArcGIS is
• Where is the network vulnerable? a location intelligence system. It provides
• Where are customers behaving an understanding of patterns and situations.
differently? ArcGIS provides the enterprise infrastructure
Location yields perspective—most utility for location-aware business solutions.
processes revolve around where they occur.
Managers, employees, and customers have
a common need to know what is happening,
“Location provides the
when it’s happening, and where. framework to absorb new
ideas and accomplish
true transformation.”
—Pat Hohl,
Director, Electric Utility Solutions, Esri

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 “Digital disruption is
forcing all enterprises
to make big changes”
-Geoffrey Moore

Mature Systems Deliver Business Value

In the 1990s, Carnegie Mellon University accelerate their progress. Leading utilities
looked at the maturity curve of digital systems. use the power of location to accomplish this.
Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm, A comprehensive GIS supports their need to
and IBM popularized an approach based on accomplish the following:
this research. The model proposed a digital • Migrate to a real-world model of their
progression from systems of record to systems assets, building a more robust system of
of engagement and then to systems of insight. record
This marked a clear path to information
technology maturity and more significant • Liberate information for all stakeholders—
internal and external—creating a
business value.
dependable system of engagement
As energy providers pivot around the industry
trends, they apply the best business tools to • Capitalize on analytics, growing a system
of insight

“Digital disruption is forcing all

enterprises to make big changes.”
—Geoffrey Moore
Crossing the Chasm

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 A Comprehensive GIS

System of Engagement
Sharing, Collaboration, and
Dissemination
System of Record
Data Management and
Integration

System of Insight
Analytics, Models,
and Data Exploration

A Comprehensive GIS—More Than Making Maps

Changes in the utility environment and the explosion • System of record—Data management and
of data demand vastly better ways of managing, integration
examining, and communicating utility information.
• System of engagement—Sharing,
ArcGIS is a comprehensive GIS. Comprehensive collaboration, and dissemination
means it contains all the elements needed
to overcome utility challenges, not just make • System of insight—Analytics, models, and
data exploration
conventional maps faster. ArcGIS maintains key
information, analyzing it and distributing it to The energy industry requires new digital tools
everyone who needs business intelligence. that show a comprehensive picture and provide
ArcGIS does things traditional mapping GIS can’t powerful insights—including exceptional
touch. It employs an unparalleled data model and visualization—on any device, anywhere, at any
consumes most any form of external data. The time. As the requirements for GIS have evolved,
rich data supports out-of-the-box analytics and so has ArcGIS. It delivers the power to increase
the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and machine the effectiveness in every corner of the utility.
learning tools. The results are easily exploited with
engaging apps personalized to each user’s role.
They provide focused capabilities and align with
how people work today.
“Having the GIS
These capabilities create a seamless experience
when using the following systems needed to thrive:
enterprise approach
actually makes me
sleep a little better
at night. We’re not
scrambling to chase
down information.
It is networked, it is
mobile, and we can
get access to it.”
—Jimmie Cho
Chief Operating Officer, SoCalGas
SoCalGas, the nation’s largest gas utility uses ArcGIS to
respond quickly to pipeline emergencies.

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 System of Record
How Complete Is Your Data?

As utilities moved to automated mapping, they all mandate better data inputs. Many utilities
began to see the strategic value of digital facility look forward to a strategic investment in new
data. They harnessed the basic mapping data capabilities—a system of record that goes further!
for other applications like system analysis. Soon, In response, Esri has designed a new data
shortcomings in the data designed for mapping foundation—a network optimized specifically
became self-evident, such as utility lines that looked for utilities. ArcGIS Utility Network adds new
fine on paper but in actuality lacked correct network capabilities.
connectivity.
A utility network fully represents today’s complex
Despite the data flaws, utilities began to view GIS energy networks, sustaining powerful analytics and
as a system of record, particularly for the location of real-time modeling. It’s fast and scalable. But it
assets. A system of record is the authoritative source goes even further by delivering its capabilities to
for a data element—the place where that element is engineering staff and extending them across the
systematically maintained. organization and into the field.
In this data-driven world, advanced systems,
digitally savvy customers, and the modern workforce

“The next 5 years

Case Study
Moving to ArcGIS Utility Network allowed South Jersey Industries (SJI) will bring more
to consolidate its assets into a single authoritative system of record. change to utilities
Previously, asset data was managed through multiple applications
including GIS and several asset-tracking databases. In some cases, than the previous
a single asset was represented differently in each system. Leak
information, which was once tracked only in GIS, was also being
50 have.”
managed in a separate, nonspatial database. Utility Network provided Esri, The Business Value
of the Utility Network
SJI with a single source of truth, which was, in turn, integrated with
other enterprise systems.
Read the full case study.

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System of Engagement
How Many Are Actually Using Your Data?

To make a system of record more valuable, the customers, and regulators with the information
information must be shared, allowing everyone they need. ArcGIS gives all users live access to the
to access and understand it. To be most useful, a appropriate information captured in the system of
system of record needs a system of engagement. record.
The ArcGIS system of engagement manages and Mobile workers easily update maps while they
promotes user collaboration and interaction. work, naturally reinforcing the system of record.
Engagement starts with communication— Moreover, those updates become available
connecting people in real time, using location- immediately, without the delay of transcribing notes
aware devices. It’s a move to empower employees, scribbled on paper.

“I used to inspect 10
Case Study
Given Muscat Electricity Distribution Company’s (MEDC) to 15 substations
culture of innovation, management directed the GIS team daily, but now
to create a new mobility-based inspection process. Using
ArcGIS, the project removed the problems mobile workers with smart
had experienced. MEDC was also able to get better insight
into the health of its assets. For example, MEDC was able to
transformation, I
discover that transformers installed in 2007 were more prone can inspect more
to leaking, so MEDC began analyzing the location of each
of them. This initiated targeted inspections of transformers
than 30 per day.”
based on their tendencies to leak. —Mahmood Al Qassabi, MEDC

Read the full case study.

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 System of Engagement (continued)
How Many Are Actually Using Your Data?

Executives monitor dashboards that track real-time media, the utility immediately gleans the
events and key performance indicators, making information, improving safety and response.
decisions at a glance. Using GIS this way is easy, productive, and fun,
Customers get maps from the web. They see the thanks to a whole suite of out-of-the-box apps that
progress of projects in their neighborhood or run anywhere. They support intelligent mapping,
report a streetlight that is out. When customers field data collection, location tracking, routing,
mention “wire down” or “gas odor” on social spatial analytics, and situational awareness.

Case Study “Taking a cue from

Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) installed ArcGIS Field Maps
to improve the company’s meter assignments critical to outage social media,
management. once a change is
Field staff immediately recognized how the mobile app
reduced their workload and made them more productive.
made by anyone,
Handling the information electronically reduced the time those changes are
required to update critical business systems, saving many work
hours per year.
visible to all.”
—Bill Meehan,
Read the full case study. Empowering Electric
and Gas Utilities with GIS

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 System of Insight
What Is Your Data Telling You?

A system of insight enables discovery—creating requires state-of-the-art data science tools. ArcGIS
new understanding. Incremental improvements delivers exciting analytical capabilities such as spatial
create slightly better processes. Breakthroughs analysis, machine learning, big data analytics, and
require new knowledge. They require seeing image processing.
things differently—discovering insights that are Business intelligence comes from examining raw
not visible using conventional means. data through the lens of location. The powerful
Analytics allows the discovery of secrets in data analytic features in ArcGIS release more significant
and the evaluation of trends. insights. They uncover relationships that simple
A system of insight dramatically magnifies reporting cannot find. They detect patterns and
business value. It explores the diverse data correlations. Data-driven predictions form the
maintained in the system of record and derived foundation of decision-making based on following
from the system of engagement. business rules logic:
• Where will solar be added next?
The ArcGIS system of insight adds information
• Where are the greatest risks to resiliency?
gained from outside sources over the web—weather,
• What factors are affecting asset
traffic, and vehicle location services. It takes in
performance and longevity?
real-time data from Internet of Things (IoT) sensors
collaborating with other operational systems such as This is actionable business intelligence.
SCADA, AMI, and ADMS. Exploiting complex data
“Customers were able
Case Study to estimate potential
Dubai Electric and Water Authority (DEWA) determined that a
lack of convenient information was limiting the adoption of solar
electricity production
panels. Analyzing each project’s potential was taking too long and and savings on
costing too much. DEWA utilized the powerful analytic capabilities
of ArcGIS to rate the suitability of any potential location. The electricity charges by
ArcGIS deployment is helping DEWA reach its renewable energy installing solar panels.”
goals by providing timely information, eliminating barriers, and
—Manal Ahmed Salem Alshamlan,
improving solar energy adoption. Senior Manager, DEWA

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 A Comprehensive GIS Supports Your Needs
ArcGIS is a comprehensive GIS. Systems of record, engagement, and insight provide a
mature information system that creates real business value across the utility enterprise.

Safety and Compliance Operations Management

Ensuring public and employee safety is Utility operations management demands the
job one. Where are the unsafe conditions best use of resources. Efficiently managing spare-
that threaten people, property, and the parts locations, routing vehicles, and moving to
environment? Knowledge of the hazards job sites can be a challenge. Lack of optimization
improves safety performance and compliance. increases operating and capital expenditures.
Customer Engagement It lengthens restoration time and response to
environmental disasters. GIS provides the tools
Digital consumers expect current information
to effectively manage operations.
in seconds. They want an engaging and
personalized experience worthy of a valued Design and Engineering
utility customer. ArcGIS relates information to the Utility designers need innovative tools
customer’s location and puts it in their hands. and methods for effective utility network
Asset Management management. Reliable information sharpens the
focus of every project and reduces risks. A single
Many forward-thinking utilities want enterprise
source of accurate design information comes
asset management and GIS to be fully
from a modern GIS, which provides a solid data
interoperable. They must consider the location
and communication foundation to model utility
of many more nonutility distributed energy
networks. This enables utilities to succeed with
assets. They want to find trends to fine-tune
repeatable solutions to engineering problems.
their asset decision-making process.
The modern capabilities of ArcGIS reinforce
excellence for utility design and engineering.

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The Geographic Approach
Getting the most out of the comprehensive GIS The geographic approach is all about
requires a new way of thinking. It demands a a process—not just a technology but a
way of problem-solving that integrates all the framework—for widely applying geographic
information that is available to a utility. This knowledge. It starts with data collected from
process is called the geographic approach. various sources and assessing that information
Whether engineering, facility, real-time, network, leveraging visualization and maps. But it doesn’t
or environmental data, the information is science stop there. As noted above, the analysis and
based. GIS and the geographic approach bring modeling help predict what may happen,
this information together and help utilities such as where gas leaks might occur or where
understand—and predict. customer satisfaction might wane.
The geographic approach sets up a framework In addition, the geographic approach leads
for action, applying all of this knowledge to projects being planned holistically using
in meaningful ways directly into a utility’s geodesign, helping utilities understand the
workflows. Since the vast majority of work long-term impacts and consequences of their
involves location, GIS enables this approach. It plans and make adjustments if necessary.
allows utilities to measure things in very focused The geographic approach leads to
ways, make maps, visualize conditions, and help comprehensive understanding and science-
people understand and predict the future. This based decision-making.
approach also provides an environment where
engineers and planners can design using this
geographic understanding and make better
decisions supporting various kinds of actions. “Understanding
precedes action.”
—Jack Dangermond,
Cofounder and President of Esri

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 Esri Geospatial Infrastructure Supports the Geographic Approach

Geospatial Infrastructure
GIS is increasingly becoming interconnected between the desktop,
the cloud, enterprise servers, apps, and portals. This ecosystem of
interconnected components is about streamlining collaboration.

This ecosystem is called geospatial infrastructure. It enables and supports

the geographic approach. It is the sum of all the parts coming together
as new technology, for which portals provide support. It helps utilities
organize and integrate the distributed services to bring people together.

A New Pattern Remote Sensing and Imagery

Multiple services brought together is a new Advances in imagery and remote sensing,
pattern for GIS. It’s not just a database with ranging from image maps to oriented imagery
some tools and apps—it also provides a way to and motion video and multispectral analysis,
bring information together very quickly. And this are part of the geospatial infrastructure. GeoAI
data is made available supporting a whole new enables these massive point clouds to visualize,
generation of powerful desktop technology as analyze, and extract features. These capabilities
well as the massive deployment of GIS occurring let utilities take these pictures and images and
in mobile technology. create massive amounts of timely information
This new pattern provides the framework for right inside GIS.
comprehensive situational awareness. This is Digital Twins
extremely important for utilities since they have The emergence of 3D digital twins, connecting
distributed assets, employees, events, and immersive experiences with game engines,
customers. Knowing where each is; where there are builds additional capability into the geospatial
vulnerabilities; and, most importantly, what action infrastructure. These allow utilities to see,
the utilities must take at any given time is critical. understand, share, and act differently.
Enabling New Capabilities Extending Corporate Systems
The geospatial infrastructure enables spatial A properly configured geospatial infrastructure
analytics. This includes spatiotemporal analysis; makes it simple to embed GIS capabilities
robust interactive visual analysis; and graph inside of other major IT systems. Examples
analysis, which involves geospatial artificial include work management, customer
intelligence (GeoAI), a new family of tools used for information systems, and network analysis, all to
looking at relationship patterns. GeoAI and other support knowledge workers.
intelligent tools allow access to vast collections of
GIS Hubs
big data and raster analytics in the cloud.
A GIS hub brings communities together to
Manage Big Data organize information and initiatives and form
The geospatial infrastructure helps manage big teams. For example, all players must coordinate
data. Today, GIS desktop and web environments action when a major emergency occurs, such
can access the massive data collection occurring as a wildfire, earthquake, flood, or extreme
with data lakes and warehouses. This innovation wind event. Those players include utilities,
creates a whole new form of understanding. first responders, governments, the media, and
residents. GIS hubs provide the means to do that.

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A Basis for Solutions
GIS is much more than a technology for making Esri’s location intelligence system is a comprehensive
maps—it is a basis for solutions. As a result, utilities GIS for utilities. ArcGIS helps you work better
worldwide are making strategic investments in location- and smarter—advancing your operations, design
aware information capabilities as a foundation for and engineering, safety and compliance, asset
business refinements, modernization, and customer management, and customer experience efforts.
engagement.
Truly comprehensive models of utility systems are
based on Esri utility network models. These models
enable smooth data compilation and compelling
analytics. When solutions are visualized clearly and
shared widely, they make it possible to thrive in a Empower transformation through innovation.
changing industry.
To learn more, visit our site:
esri.com/en-us/industries/utilities
ArcGIS is a comprehensive GIS—the strategic
investment that every utility needs to make
to move the utility forward.

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 About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in GIS software, offers the
most powerful mapping and spatial analytics technology
available. Since 1969, Esri has helped customers unlock the
full potential of data to improve operational and business
results. Today, Esri software is deployed in more than
350,000 organizations including the world’s largest cities,
most national governments, 75 percent of Fortune 500
companies, and more than 7,000 colleges and universities.
Esri engineers the most advanced solutions for digital
transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and location
analytics to inform the most authoritative maps in the world.

For more information,

go to esri.com/en-us/industries/utilities.

Contact Esri
380 New York Street 1 800 447 9778 [email protected] Offices worldwide
Redlands, California t 909 793 2853 esri.com esri.com/locations
92373-8100 f 909 793 5953

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Copyright © 2023 Esri. All rights reserved. Esri, the Esri globe logo, ArcGIS, The Science of Where, esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks,
service marks, or registered marks of Esri in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies
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