Case Study: Weather for Utilities
A major investor-owned utility located in the Southeast U.S. has a service area which includes six states. They provide electric service to 3.8 million customers. Assets total approximately $17 billion and revenues are about $8 billion. They employ more than 9,000 people.
Their Manager of Distribution Operations told ImpactWeather that deregulation has caused them to be more sensitive to operational costs as well as being more accountable to FERC and their local PUC for system reliability. Unfortunately, much of their assets are exposed to the elements which means that lightning and high winds can cause system outages. This problem can be compounded if these outages occur at or near crew shift change time.
The manager told us that they needed a way for his dispatchers to be notified by a meteorologist when severe weather threatened their service area so that they could reduce their downtime caused by weather-related system outages. They selected ImpactWeather's StormWatch service so that his dispatchers could be directly alerted to potentially severe weather by ImpactWeather's StormWatch forecasters at least 2 hours before any significant weather event begins to impact their service areas. By having this information for a recent afternoon severe thunderstorm, his dispatchers made the determination to hold over his crews rather than letting them go and recalling them later.
As a result of holding his crews over, the utility responded to the weather-related system outages much more quickly. This helped maximize their system reliability rating and minimized the labor cost involved since the manager did not have to recall crews shortly after they were released from duty.
Client Access
MarineWatchsm
Our offshore forecasts are customized, site-specific and direct. Take advantage of ImpactWeather's experience. Learn More
StormWatchsm
With ImpactWeather's StormWatch service, you receive accurate, timely, comprehensive and completely customized weather forecasts and severe weather alerts. Learn More
TropicsWatchsm
Our full suite of TropicsWatch services help keep you better informed about the weather across the tropics. Learn More
ImpactReadysm
Our "crisis-tested" contingency planning team works with your team to help you ensure that your assets are protected, your emergency response is effective, your risks are mitigated and your business is resilient. Learn More
ImpactWeather Gmapssm
A Google Maps based weather platform that quickly and easily displays the information you need to help make real-time weather decisions. Learn More