When we look to the future of the electric utility industry, what do we see?

Better data. More efficiencies. Smarter grids. Simpler asset management. At least—that’s what we’re all hoping for. 

To make it happen? It’s all about location, location, location. And that’s where GIS comes in: Moving into the future of power, GIS will be instrumental in challenging the status quo, improving utilities’ understanding of where things are (from outages to assets to customers), leveling up what regulatory compliance really means, and breaking down siloes across the power org.

“The value has been proven.”

That’s what Ryan Ciesielski, Group Head of Geospatial at National Grid, told us about the return on investment for utilities deploying GIS tech in asset management.

What do two GIS experts say when you ask them about the importance of data management for utilities?

“You can’t manage what you can’t see.”

“If the data is wrong, bad things happen.”

“Without data, you have no control.”

This week on The GISt, we’re diving deep into GIS as a tool to address latency, remove siloes, and help utilities do less on-prem…so they can do more overall.

At the core of running an efficient, resilient power system, there’s one singular need: interoperability.

Do you have one place where everyone, across teams and structures, can go to get the real-time information they need when they need it? Without that, utility leaders are setting themselves up for failure to meet the rising expectations from consumers.

As a GIS-centric systems integrator, UDC specializes in supporting its clients' projects and programs throughout the entire lifecycle—from conception to implementation. UDC’s services are tailored to utilities and infrastructure companies worldwide, offering geospatial technology solutions designed to maximize the return on enterprise digital investments.

The transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy reality is a massive undertaking—and we all know by now that massive undertakings require a LOT of data.

So today on The GISt, we’re exploring how utilities and energy innovators are leveraging GIS to help integrate renewables into the existing grid to make it more diverse and more reliable.