Engineering & Operations Systems Administrator Brian Wilson and GIS Technician Steve Ramsey

At Union Power Cooperative, we are constantly seeking ways to improve our operations and better serve our members. One critical tool that has been essential to achieving these goals is Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

GIS is a digital mapping technology that allows us to visualize and analyze data related to our electric distribution system. By integrating data on everything from power lines to member locations to weather patterns, GIS enables our employees to make more informed decisions about where and how to allocate resources and respond more quickly and effectively to outages and other service interruptions. All field workers including linemen, field service representatives, and distribution system design technicians can conveniently access maps through their iPads while out working in the field.

One of the key benefits of GIS is its ability to help us identify areas of the distribution system that may be at higher risk of outages or other problems. By analyzing factors such as weather patterns, tree trimming cycles, and the age and condition of equipment, we can proactively address potential issues before they become a bigger problem.

Another major advantage of GIS is its ability to help us quickly and accurately locate and respond to outages. By overlaying real-time data on the status of our distribution system with information on member locations, our distribution system operators, commonly known as dispatchers, can pinpoint the location of an outage and dispatch crews to fix the problem as quickly as possible.

In short, GIS is an essential tool for our co-op as we work to provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable electric service to our members. We are proud to be at the forefront of this technology, and look forward to continuing to leverage GIS to better serve our members.