New York State Office of Cyber Security
Geographic Information Systems Clearinghouse
GIS Partnership Summary
Geographic
Information Systems
Electric Utility Emergency Reporting Project
Partnership Purpose and Goal
Geographic Information Systems Electric Utility's Emergency Reporting Project's purpose was to provide the 7 major electric companies in New York State and the Department of Public Service (DPS) with an integrated tool to allow DPS to receive, process, analyze, and report electric outage data quickly and in a uniform format during emergency outages. The information is then disseminated to other agencies to assist in deployment of essential resources and services. The partnership was necessary insure that the information provided met the needs (content and format) of the agencies that respond to emergency events at the State Emergency Operations Center.
Participants and Resource Contributions
New York State Agency Participants:
- Department of Public
Service, Lead Agency
- Office for Technology
- Department of State
- Department of Transportation
- State Emergency Management
Office
Private Sector - GIS contractor:
- Bowne Management Systems, Inc.
- Central Hudson Gas
& Electric Corporation, Poughkeepsie, NY
- Consolidated Edison
Co., NYC, Staff Participation
- Key Span (LIPA), Hicksville,
NY
- Niagara Mohawk Power
Corporation, Syracuse, NY
- NYS Electric &
Gas Corporation, Binghamton, NY
- Orange & Rockland
Utilities, Inc., Spring Valley, NY
- Rochester Gas &
Electric Corporation, Rochester, NY
Time Frame
Date Partnership
Began: 07/1999
Completion Date: 06/2001
Deliverables
- The first stage
was to have a prototype system completed and operational during the Y2K event
(December 31, 1999). Deliverables; Inventory and Analysis Document, Evaluate
Design Options, Geospatial and Relational Database Development, DPS hardware
set-up, Beta delivery of system, Y2K event.
- The second stage (post Y2K event) included design modifications and implementation, application enhancements, data modifications, system administration, training, final system installation. There are three (3) final documents; Part I. System Documentation, Part II. User Documentation, and Part III. Administration and Staffing.
- The GIS Cooperative maintains a list of datasets available from DPS. These datasets have been modified and updated as a result of this project.
- Documents are available upon request.
Brief Summary of Partnership
The GIS Electric Outage Reporting System (EORS) benefited greatly from the Partnership formed for the development of this Application. The State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) coordinates state relief efforts during an emergency situation. This is an application that has significant value during an Emergency Electric Outage situation and will provide access to more timely and accurate information. It will provide the state agencies the ability to conduct emergency situation assessments and facilitate decision making regarding appropriate responses in their areas of responsibility. All of the participants have a vital role during these events. The expertise that they contributed in GIS as well as their knowledge of their areas of responsibility greatly enhanced the ability of EORS to provide the information necessary during these situations.
Overall, the Project has proved to be a valuable experience for participants and some unexpected benefits were encountered. The Electric utilities, under great pressure about Y2K readiness were not overly enthused in the beginning. By the end of the project they realized that standardizing and automating the reports saved them considerable time and effort during emergency situations when their main objective is the restoration of electricity.
Additional Information Available
On-line
None
Contact Information
Linda M. Demers
GIS Coordinator, (Project Manager)
NYS Department of Public Service, Office of Administration, GIS Unit
3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223
Phone: (518) 474-5364
Fax: (518) 474-0413
E-mail: linda_demers@dps.state.ny.us
Richard Slutzah, P.E.
Senior Vice-President, (Project Manager)
Bowne Management Systems, Inc.
235 East Jericho Turnpike, P.O.Box 109
Mineola, NY 11501
Phone: (516) 746-2350
Fax:
E-mail: rslutzah@bownemgmt.com
Michael Worden
Team Leader, Office of Electricity & Environment
NYS Department of Public Service
3 Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223
Phone: (518) 486-2498
Fax:
E-mail: michael_worden@dps.state.ny.us