Navigating Tomorrow's Utility Landscape: A GIS Perspective with Esri Partner Jamie Chipps from FirstEnergy [Power Perspectives Conversations at DISTRIBUTECH 2024]
The digital transformation for the utility sector has unequivocally advanced beyond the stage of being a mere component of future plans or simply a researched hypothetical. Traversing the halls of the 2024 DISTRIBUTECH conference in Orlando this February, it seemed that not a single conversation or presentation wasn’t touching on the power of data for utilities, the existing artificial intelligence (AI) tools that are transforming day-to-day operations, the value of geographic information systems (GIS) playing a role in asset management and maintenance, or another advanced digital tool that aids in the advancement of the industry.
As these discussions have largely transcended mere aspirations during past conference sessions, utility leaders now find themselves navigating uncharted territory. Namely, how does the landscape appear once the tools are in place and what lessons have been learned post-deployment? The Esri team has directly observed this transformative shift in collaboration with their partners and is enthusiastic about sharing insights. This reality was evident on the DISTRIBUTECH floor, where a crucial speaking session, hosted by Esri's Bill Meehan and titled 'Post Go-Live After a Modernization Effort,' provided valuable perspectives. The session featured the firsthand utility insights of Jamie Chipps, GIS Manager at FirstEnergy.
After the session, Energy Central had the honor of sitting down with Chipps, who shared additional perspectives on not only the experience of initiating a GIS-based modernization process with the Esri team but also the challenges of managing and tracking progress post-launch. To ensure that even those members of the Energy Central Community who couldn't attend this year's DISTRIBUTECH conference could benefit from these insights, she graciously participated in this follow-up interview conversation. During our discussion, she delved into the details of her speaking engagement, broader trends in modernization, and other key takeaways from the annual gathering of utility minds at DISTRIBUTECH. From the rise of AI to the significance of data governance and the pivotal role of partnerships, Chipps provided invaluable insights into the driving forces of innovation within the industry.
In this exclusive conversation, Chipps helps drive home the importance of strategies and insights shaping the future of utility operations.
Juggling Emerging Digital and Data Tools
As was the case with so many leaders coming away from DISTRIBUTECH, Chipps noticed that there was no avoiding the AI conversation at DISTRIBUTECH. While public-facing tools like language generative models have captured mainstream imagination in the past year, that capability represents just the tip of the iceberg of what the utilities are watching. Chipps instead highlighted the transformative role of AI tools in utility operations.
"With AI, it really changes the game. It can analyze data and present it in a fashion that streamlines decision-making processes." - Jamie Chipps
This sentiment echoes the sentiments shared elsewhere at DISTRIBUTECH among digital enthusiasts, where AI was touted as a game-changer in optimizing processes such as image capturing and analysis. But while AI took the headlines, the enthusiasm behind such tools only served to underscore the importance of ensuring utilities and their partners are doing the proper background work in the meantime.
Data governance, for example, emerged as another critical theme at the conference, as the quality and reliability behind a utility’s data is paramount to any possible successful implementation of AI or other digitalization tools that would be based on those datasets. Chipps agreed with this importance, emphasizing that "data governance is crucial for ensuring the accuracy and usability of data for advanced applications and digital twins." The recognition of data governance as a foundational element underscores the industry's commitment to leveraging data effectively to drive innovation and efficiency. So, while some of the forward-looking AI possibilities discussed at DISTRIBUTECH may still be on the horizon, work can and should be done today to prepare for that future. And that data quality and governance work will feed the existing and present systems that utilities have been leaning into: GIS for asset management, digital twin creation and upkeep, modernization of fieldworker systems, and so much more.
Jamie Chipps of FirstEnergy Presenting on their Post Go Live Roadmap