Articles under Outage Management System

Thank You For Attending!

This year’s Users Conference, which concluded on Thursday, June 4th, introduced several new benchmarks. Among these, record attendance, the addition of FieldSyte as a new dedicated session tract, our 35th year of incorporation, and news for all those in attendance that we’ll be right back in Nashville for 2025 on June 3rd, our first back-to-back conference at the same venue. So, if you missed the Milsoft Conference and Nashville experience, you’ll have one more shot at it next year.

For those of you who did come, a huge thank you! We sent you a survey asking you to rate your experience. We’d love to hear from you!

Stay tuned for solution-specific news coming soon.

Milsoft OMS System Verification

All operations systems change over time. Databases grow, circuit models change, and hardware ages. While the effects of these changes may go on undetected, when a significant event strikes, you want to ensure that the Milsoft OMS system is optimized and ready to respond.

Milsoft now has a service that can be a game-changer.

The Milsoft OMS System Verification is a service provided to assure that you and your systems are ready for the next large-scale outage. Milsoft will inspect, verify, and identify any data, software, and hardware issues present in the Milsoft OMS system and provide detailed plans to address them.

The Milsoft OMS System Verification consists of three major components:

Model Integrity Check
Database Health and Maintenance
Massive Outage Simulation on Client System

There’s no other service out there that comes close to providing your utility with a valid method of preparing for a significant storm event. Not only will we test the system, but your dispatchers also get hands-on training at managing a massive scale outage in the software. What a great training aid!

Please, don’t delay. Contact us as soon as possible. The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has never rung truer. Be prepared. Make this a standard part of your storm preparedness ready processes.

How Automation is Changing Utility Management

America’s security, economy, health, and safety all depend on the continuous delivery of electricity. Yet, our electric infrastructure is being pushed to operate more efficiently as it ages beyond its expected lifespan.

Modernizing the grid using smart grid technology and control software is one way to make our electric grid more resilient. These technologies work together to control the delivery of electricity reliably and efficiently throughout the system and to detect and reduce the impact of outages and problems.

What Power Grids Were Like before Smart Grid Technology

Without smart grid technology, the nation’s power grid is a series of connected networks that are inter-dependent. Failure in one part of the system can quickly lead to failures down the line which cascades into collapse.

A good example of this inter-dependency is the 2003 blackout that began in Ohio when a tree branch took out a transmission line. Over the course of an hour, a series of errors took out two more transmission lines which triggered a cascading failure. Approximately 50 million people from Michigan to New England and Canada lost power, according to the Daily News.

Without smart grid technology, power restoration moves more slowly as failure points must be located and repaired. In contrast, smart grid power management software allows problems and failures to be detected early or avoided completely. When problems do occur, power is rerouted, and assets and personnel are deployed quickly to prevent systemic failure and shorten downtimes.

How does a Smart Grid Work?

Using power management software, computer processing, advanced sensors, and two-way communication technologies, smart grid technologies map and monitor the power grid continuously. Built in relays sense faults in the substations and recover automatically. Automated switches re-route power to keep the system working.

Operators, using smart grid technology, monitor the entire power grid, quickly locating and repairing problems. They are able to access all needed information about the grid stability instantly from one location. Prior to smart grid technology, technicians had to check sensors and function at multiple sites along the grid.

How is Software Automation Affecting the Electrical Grid?

Software automation provides multiple layers of protection for power generation, distribution, and grid security. Power management software monitors and independently controls each section of the entire system. Problems or failures in one section of the grid can be isolated, protecting neighboring sections. If any part of the system is compromised, the threat is isolated and the system reroutes power along the grid to contain the problem.

Smart grid technologies also offers numerous additional benefits to power generation and distribution systems, including:

Reducing frequency and duration of power outages
Restoring services faster after an outage
Potential for self-healing without human intervention
Improved grid security and reduced vulnerability
Allowing consumers access to usage data, better controlling consumption and costs
Managing and reducing peak loads
Rapid isolation of failures
Preventing cascading failures by rerouting of power around the problem
Increased integration of renewable energy sources
Automated control of battery storage of power
Reduced operational costs
Improved fault detection
More reliable electric supply

Why Do We Need Smart Grids?

As our electric grid ages, governments, regulators, and consumers are looking for ways to improve energy generation and delivery to homes and businesses. A smart grid is a comprehensive solution that helps reduce the waste of electricity and energy costs. This technology allows better control of energy delivery and management.

Smart grid technologies are essential to transitioning to renewable energy sources and balancing energy demand. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are variable, requiring energy management software that distributes energy efficiently and regulates energy storage for use during peak usage.

What does the Future of Utility Management Look Like?

The utilities industry is evolving rapidly. Rising costs, changing load patterns, and new smart grid technologies are driving innovation toward a bright future.

Additionally, regulatory changes and renewed interest in green energy sources is moving the industry in new directions:

Decarbonization – Cleaner, emission-free electricity sources such as wind and power are growing
Decentralization – The power grid continues to decentralize with more reliance on localized power generation and battery storage rise.
Electrification – As electrical power increasingly comes from wind and solar, electrification is increasing in every area of technology, including transportation, heating, and industrial use.

As power companies face new challenges and expectations, disruptive forces are impacting the industry, forcing energy consumers and providers to react to changing market conditions. These disruptive forces fall into four main categories, according to a recent article by Deloitte.

New digital technologies are creating new opportunities for new products and services
New performance challenges and expectations
New energy technologies
New practices and business models

Smart grid technology and utility management software will allow the collection of real-time information data on electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption. Real-time data allows utility providers to make better decisions in balancing resources and forecasting production costs and demand. Over the next decade, technologies and applications will continue to evolve, increasing flexibility, changing business models and how data is collected.

Amicalola EMC Selects Milsoft GIS

ABILENE, Texas – July 12, 2013 — Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc., Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation (EMC) in Georgia has chosen the Milsoft Geographic Information System (GIS).

Amicalola EMC, already a user of Milsoft Engineering Analysis and Milsoft OMS, has expanded their Milsoft E&O System with the addition of Milsoft GIS. “Milsoft OMS is one of the most useful software applications we have ever had,” said Staff Engineer Kenneth Payne, “and Milsoft GIS will enable us to better maintain, manage and use the circuit model, maps and facilities data that we need to make the best use of the OMS as well as for our general engineering and operations.”

Milsoft GIS software is used by some 150 electric utilities and consulting firms for electric utility mapping and asset data management. The powerful yet easy to use software incorporates a detailed electric network circuit model and is fully integrated with ESRI GIS tools. Milsoft GIS provides the data capture, management and display capabilities that a utility needs to maximize the benefits of using GIS. Milsoft’s excellence in customer service and support is legendary.

About Amicalola Electric Membership

Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation, headquartered in Jasper, Georgia, is a customer-owned and governed electric cooperative which serves almost 46,000 customers in rural northwest Georgia. The utility is committed to doing whatever is necessary to provide its members with reliable, affordable electric service. Learn more at: www.amicalolaemc.com.

About Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc.

The Milsoft team has provided industry leading engineering and operations software and support to electric utilities in the US and abroad for more than 25 years. Some 1,000 utilities, consultants, universities and others use Milsoft solutions for planning, analysis and operations. Milsoft’s E&O System integrates Milsoft’s Engineering Analysis, Outage Management, Geographic Information, Field Engineering and IVR Communications with each other and with a utility’s other applications and data to enable the most efficient and effective planning, operation and management of an intelligent grid.

NOVEC Saves Time and Money With TextPower Text Messaging

MANASSAS, VA and SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA--(Marketwired – Feb 10, 2015) – TextPower, a leader in innovative text messaging software solutions, announced that TextPower SmartAlerts™ have been successfully deployed by Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), providing customers with convenient, reliable text messaging communications for outage alerts and seasonal peak demand shaving.

NOVEC is a locally based and member owned electric distribution cooperative headquartered in Manassas, Virginia. The not-for-profit co-op supplies and distributes electricity and provides energy-related services to more than 157,000 customers in Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, and Clarke counties, the Town of Clifton, and the City of Manassas Park. It is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the nation.

For the past year NOVEC has used TextPower’s text messaging platform to implement two main communications strategies — load shaving and outage reporting. Thousands of NOVEC customers have selected to opt in to receive alerts about reducing their use of power during the hottest and coldest days to conserve power.

By reducing the amount of power consumed during the hottest and coldest days of the year, NOVEC can reduce its total wholesale power costs and pass the savings on to customers. For more than 30 years, NOVEC has recruited customers to help in this effort by installing remote-operated load management switches on water heaters and air conditioners. The load management program has been very successful and resulted in millions of dollars in savings for customers with very little effort.

Building on that success, NOVEC offers another way to help customers “use it wisely” by using their cellphones. Customers can now sign up to receive a text message at peak-use times to remind them to conserve energy on those days when it matters the most.

“Consumers are getting more and more used to relying on text messaging as a basic everyday communications tool and it’s become a very popular service with more of our customers opting in daily,” said Roy.

TextPower SmartAlerts are also used for two-way outage reporting. Customers can report outages in to NOVEC and receive alerts letting them know when the power is back on. Simply typing in the keyword “status” allows customers to check to see if the power’s on, in real-time, or to get an estimate on when the power will come back on.

“We knew we wanted to use text messaging for the outage reporting. Surveys told us that our customers are highly affluent, demanding more and more technology and communications,” said John Roy, Communications Specialist with NOVEC.

According to Roy, after reviewing TextPower and comparing it to other vendors, TextPower’s support of Milsoft multi-speak technology was a key factor in NOVEC’s choice, along with recommendations from other utilities where it has been successfully implemented.

“NOVEC is one of the industry leading utilities that is maximizing the power of text messaging,” noted Mark Nielsen, Executive Chairman and co-founder of TextPower. “Our TextPower messaging platform is integrated with Milsoft’s Outage Management System at NOVEC to deliver greater customer service while saving the utility money. We are pleased to partner with NOVEC to deliver this innovation to their customers.”

For more information about TextPower’s services for utilities or other industries call 818.222.8600 or email Info@TextPower.com.

About TextPower, Inc.

TextPower, Inc. provides alerting and authentication solutions to a variety of industries worldwide using text messaging (SMS). The company’s software and text messaging services help companies enhance their revenues, decrease costs and improve customer service. TextPower’s authentication product, TextKey™, replaces the token or security fob previously needed to verify the identity of online users for password-protected applications. TextPower’s mission-critical infrastructure employs geo-redundancy for the industry’s highest reliability, providing delivery to virtually every cell phone in the United States and connections to most recognized wireless operators around the world. Visit http://www.TextPower.com, email Info@TextPower.com or call 888.818.1808 for more information.

Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative Chooses Milsoft GIS & OMS

ABILENE, Texas – December 17, 2013 — Milsoft Utility Solutions, Inc., Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative has purchased Milsoft Geographic Information System (GIS) and Milsoft Outage Management System (OMS).

Deep East Texas EC, a long time user of Milsoft Engineering Analysis, has expanded to the Milsoft E&O System with the addition of GIS and OMS. “Milsoft GIS will enable us to more conveniently and accurately create, manage and use the circuit model, system maps and facilities data that we need for the best possible planning and operation of our electric distribution system,” said System Engineer Jessie Morgan, “and the Milsoft OMS will help us identify and respond to service outages more quickly and efficiently than ever.”

Milsoft GIS software provides state of the art capabilities for electric utility mapping and asset data management through powerful yet easy to use software that incorporates a detailed electric network circuit model and is fully integrated with ESRI GIS tools. It provides all of the data capture, management and display capabilities that a utility needs to realize the full benefits of using GIS. Milsoft OMS enables utilities to detect, evaluate and respond to customer service outages more quickly and effectively, especially during severe system outage events. A detailed electric network connectivity model and logical location prediction enable speedy, accurate detection, response and restoration and ensures timely and accurate communications with employees, customers and other stakeholders. Milsoft leads the industry in integration and interoperability of its E&O System, including the GIS and OMS applications, with its customers’ other systems and applications.

About Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative

Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is an electric transmission and distribution cooperative headquartered in San Augustine, Texas. The utility serves approximately 42,000 metered accounts including residential, commercial and industrial customers as well as municipalities in eight counties in extreme east Texas. Learn more at Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative.

About Milsoft Utility Solutions

The Milsoft team has provided industry leading engineering and operations software and much acclaimed customer service and support to electric utilities in the US and abroad for more than 25 years. More than 1,000 utilities, consultants, universities and others use Milsoft solutions for planning, analysis and operations. Milsoft’s E&O System integrates Milsoft’s Engineering Analysis, Outage Management, Geographic Information, Field Engineering and IVR Communications with each other and with a utility’s other applications and data to enable the most efficient and effective planning, operation and management of an intelligent grid.