Network survey and Asset mapping at a Utility in India

The problem

A utility in India (one of the bigger states) was keen to map all its network assets accurately by means of thorough network survey. Proper documentation of the surveyed network was required not only for asset management but for all other activities like O&M, system improvement studies, energy audits, loss reduction and revenue management. The existing database of the assets was not updated and became obsolete and hard to maintainable.

Project

This contract was awarded to us. The full distribution network survey was allotted for 5 Circles. It involved thorough HT and LT network survey involving more than 2,000 feeders and 120,000 distribution transformers spread over 65,000 sq.km. area. Finally, proper documentation and asset indexing was to be presented to the utility to enable them to understand the hierarchical connectivity of the assets.

The process

To deliver quality services, we are equipped with quality tools, software and other accessories. Moreover, there is a logical approach to deliver the service in order to ensure the value and benefit to be returned to the customer. The teams were deployed at different site offices where data compilation and documentation was done. Finally, all the data was compiled, verified and presented to the utility. The steps taken to deliver the service were:

• Field survey for HT network, covering each of the HT feeders up to distribution transformers
• Field survey of LT network under each distribution transformer
• Documenting the distribution network and validating it by means of random quality surveys
• Establishing the electrical hierarchical relationship between the assets by using our network documentation software and generating an index
• Submission of the reports to the utility allowing them to validate the results from time to time

There were many challenges in the project; the biggest was to cover such a large area with a huge number of assets. It would not have been possible without proper processes and management during the survey phase. Great care needed to be taken in preparing the documentation for it to deliver benefits to the customer.

The findings

The existing documentation of assets was incorrect in many areas, like the number of poles, branch and transformer parameters etc. There were major errors in the relationship of the feeder, DT and poles in terms of their electrical connectivity.
Random quality surveys, conducted as a part of the service, highlighted areas of improvement in quality of the service.

Benefits achieved

There was great benefit achieved by the Utility. During the entire lifecycle of the project, they were gradually able to know the accurate network asset mapping information, covering one after another geographical area. The network and asset mapping documentation available with the utility helps them maintain their assets and insure revenue completeness. Time to time validation by utility personnel is proof of the quality of the work done.