Electirc Utility AMIFM and the Internet
CGM
Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) is a standard that is emerging for graphics-based Web
technology. CGM is for graphics what HTML is for text. CGM is a functional specification for
4 “Overview of the World Wide Web”, http://www.Web-master.com
encoding computer graphics for later redisplay by a browser. By defining a viewer for this kind
of “Internet Media Type,” you can have links to CGMS and send CGMS in multimedia email.
CGM became an international standard in 1987 and was also adopted as a national standard in
many countries. Following a number of published amendments to give it increased functionality,
a revised standard was published in 1992.
Web Generations
Internet and Web Site Technology can be broken into three categories of “Web site generations.”
The “first-generation Web site” is technology to handle static data. The “second-generation
Web site” involves interactivity; and “third-generation Web sites” involve the use of intelligent
agents.
First Generation
First-generation technology is still widely used today. This technology deals with static
“publishing” of information that is available for general consumption similar to what happens in
a library where anyone with a library card can access prepared information. Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML) is the mainstay of this technology and has been around for many years. New
tools are making it easier to publish a web site through the use of familiar word processors.
Second Generation
Second-generation technology takes the idea of a “smart document” one step further. Bite-size
applications called applets can be written and then downloaded to run under the client software.
These applets allow the user to be more interactive with the system. An example of a second-generation
web site applet is home energy audits where expected energy use is calculated based
on user provided information. The real benefit from this approach is that applets can be written
without knowing the target system. Products like Java and WebObjects can be set up to “adopt”
whatever operating system and client software the “surfer” is using.
Third Generation
Third-generation technology uses a “smart agent” applet that employs artificial intelligence
technology to “learn” the desires of a specific user. These “agents” can perform “1-to-1
marketing” where information about specific user interests help “guide” the user to information
that is customized to their situation. For example, a home energy audit “smart agent” might
combine the individual user’s preferences with energy usage information and suggest ways to
reduce energy consumption in ways that are highly customized.
State of the art in the utility business
Finance, Corporate Communications, and IS are the major Web project sponsors today in utility
companies. The emphasis is on financial and “corporate image” type of information that these
organizations are responsible for distributing. These early adopters from the financial
departments provided a clear need that has corporate value and a relatively static information
structure. Providing customer billing information on the Web is under consideration by many
utilities, but no one has it in production yet. A major East Coast utility is using a forms
application for requesting electricity turn ens/offs.
Second Generation interactive applications have yet to be developed and installed. Home energy
audits, pole quality calculations, outage and repair estimates, storm management information,
storm risk assessment, customer outage reporting, customer-driven planned power outage
scheduling, and bill paying are all potential applications.
There are also internal applications that can employed such as work management, map access,
design and construction coordination, plant operations, environmental information, storm
information, and basic corporate life applications that support employees.
Web browser technologies provide common software at low prices and minimal entry risk. This
provides a good environment for the development of AM/FM/GIS applications.
AM/FM and operations-related applications
Most AM/FM and operations-related applications using Web technologies are in the discussion
stages. Some projects are being budgeted. Very few are installed and running. Here is a
description of possible applications that are being discussed in the utility industry.
Storm and Outage Information
Spatial information about where the outages are being reported and where crews are deployed
could be provided to the news media or regulatory agencies to show how the utility is
responding. This could take on a form similar to the “Dopier” weather broadcast. Second-generation
Web sites could allow customers to report poles down and other dangerous situations
as an alternative to the Call Center. These applications could also provide calculations on the
reliability of the user’s premise if they still have power, or estimated restoration times if they
have an outage.
Construction and Schedule Information
Once a subdivision has been designed or transmission line corridor identified, the planning
and/or design information from an AM/FM system could be made public through the Web.
Sensitive information can be kept behind the firewall for internal company use. The public could
respond with questions about the proposed construction. This information could be used by
contractors to provide bid proposals and by customers to identify building costs. City planners or
other organizations could coordinate construction plans with utilities by viewing planned
construction site locations and dates.
Distribution Information
Today, utilities are required to provide transmission line open access. Information about
transmission line reliability capacity and wheeling costs are available at various OASIS Web
sites. AM/FM information, together with reliability and capacity information, could be made
available on the Intemet.
Spatial Analysis
Applets could be written to access demographic and” 1-to- 1 marketing” information from other
sources on the Web and combine it with internal information. This approach provides more
information for marketing purposes and gives the utility an option. They can continue to
maintain the data in-house and provide a data service to other organizations, or they could
outsource the maintenance of this data to an organization that would market the data to others.
Smart Rep
The smart customer representative concept which suggests that a utility employee can carry a
laptop to a customer site and not only propose a construction plan, but also approve the
engineering, close the deal, and set up scheduling all in one day has been a dream in the utility
industry for a long time. Web technology makes this dream much more feasible than previous
approaches by providing a common client software base. Access to AM/FM data is key to
accurate results for the customer.
AM/FM System Coordination
Modern AM/FM system projects are typically implemented in many different physical locations
with many different systems to deal with. Coordination is difficult and the amount of
information about an AM/FM system is increasing. This can range from basic information about
system configurations and version numbers to “frequently asked questions” or FAQ databases on
how to solve specific problems. Web technology provides a common denominator for all
support people.
AM/FM System Training
As user roles of AM/FM systems move from dedicated, heads down, full time update-intensive
activities to casual analysis and “for the rest of us” type of activities, it will be almost impossible
to train large numbers of users who do not have time or the interest to learn AM/FM systems.
Web technologies can be used to provide a low cost, familiar interface that gives casual,
computer-based AM/FM system training when the user is ready.
Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric (PGE) has a project underway to replace a VAX-based automated
mapping system and a mainframe-based facilities management system with a modern AM/FM
client-server based system. It was determined early in the process that the intranet and Web
technologies would not only enhance the process of delivering AM/FM data to many users, but
also to aid in the delivery of the project itself. The PGE project team decided that Intranet
publication of specific documentation developed before, during, and after the project would
improve project communication, enhance coordination, and generally make the project more
visible within the company. This is a brief description of what is both accomplished as well as
planned at PGE.
PGE’s Use of Web Technology for an AM/FM Proiect
PGE recognized that the Web revolution will impact all aspects of computer system project
definition, management, development, and implementation. Most new technologies are
introduced by applications and meet some resistance by users. With Web technology, the
assumption is that users of a new AM/FM system will be Web literate before the system is
implemented in 1998 and that they will expect systems to use technologies as good as what they
are currently using at home. The major project stake holders will have at least minimal Web
experience by the time the Detail Design Phase starts in the first quarter of 1997. Several
challenges are learning how to do the analysis, design, build, test, and implementation for a good
Web site just like the project phases for the AM/FM project. This Web site will be where many
people get their first impression of the AM/FM project. A human factor analyst was assigned to
work with the AMIFM project team to develop Intranet guidelines for all projects. Initially, the
AM/FM Web site was designed to:
- document and communicate project management information,
- document systems operations and administrative procedures,
- provide Web-enabled map viewing,
- provide Web-enabled HELP screen facilities for AM/FM users.
