10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

MAPPING OF CHENNAI ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

MRS.N.VIJAYEE Assistant Executive Engineer/GIS

TamilNadu Electricity Board, Chennai 2, INDIA manthrraviji@yahoo.com, 9444760489 / 9789971692

Abstract:

The Role of GIS in empowering the Power sector is

a renowned fact. This vision is presently being

bought into reality by mapping of Chennai City

Distribution on the base map. The base map has

been hoisted by M/S NIC under the “Computer

aided mapping project”. This paper will cover the

detailed project plan on mapping of power

distribution network and its objectives. The vision is

to develop a GLOBAL INFORMATION SYSTEM on the

GIS platform for the Power sector internal users and

make the GIS accessible by web enabling the

system. The application Architecture should be

developed on the base GIS with necessary

programming interfaces.

The Architecture design has to be implemented and

results reaped. The tangible benefits have to

accomplished. Above all the users must be trained

and GIS brought into the mainstream of the

Organization. This paper will cover the ambitious

dreams and their stride to reality.

About the Author:

The author is incharge of

implementing GIS for power

distribution in Chennai City

under“Computer aided mapping

project”. The author has also

submitted Doctorate thesis in GIS for

power distribution. The author has

presented a number of papers ,

conducted training programs and

guided student projects in GIS.

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

Introduction: 1.0 GIS and GPS Mapping Of Electricity Distribution network

The implementation of GIS and GPS Mapping Of Electricity Distribution network involves

overlaying of the entire electricity distribution network as in figure below on the base map using the

co-ordinates of all the components.

ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

The proposed solution /methodology will map the power sector assets spread over a large

Geographical area and provide a Web GIS based solution with unique consumer indexing and asset

coding of all the electrical network entities. This will function as a base for development of specific

functional modules. The GIS based system will provide intelligent information system from the field

section level to the top management level using internet technology. The need is to develop a

integrated corporate GIS suitable to the organization perspectives to serve the information needs of

all the functions of the organization. It includes the use of capabilities of hardware, software, data

,procedures and communication technology provided by GIS modified specifically to the satisfaction

of user requirements.

Presently in certain locations the details of its assets like cables, transformers, pillar boxes and

consumers details like consumer number, voltage, consumption, bill date etc., are available in the

form of tables in a database management system. The details of cable routes and their description

are maintained in the form of line drawings.

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

The major disadvantage of the present system is the lack of linkage between different spatial and

non spatial data. Both spatial and non spatial data is available in bits and pieces which poses

problems in viewing continuously for decision making. Updation of data in the current system is

cumbersome and time consuming. The data is also confined to certain departments and not

accessible to all the personal. Performing analysis on the available data is a cumbersome work for

planning and decision making.

The overall vision is to establish a Web based GIS and provide a one-stop point of access to

spatial databases for the purpose of improving overall efficiency and effectiveness in decision-

making. The GIS based power flow solution will be used to study various systems loading

conditions, resolve outages, plan for addition of new transmission lines or cables, interconnect with

other systems, conduct load growth studies and improve consumer service by locating the called

consumer and the associated network connectivity.

The focus of the integrated Web based GIS will be to demonstrate sustained loss

reduction and function as a base for energy accounting.

2.0 Allied Services

1. The baseline data will be used for the purpose of system study for technical loss reduction

and development of power infrastructure.

2. Network modeling will be done for power distribution analysis from EHV/HV to LV –

Distribution transformer upto the end consumer.

3. The existing network conditions will be evaluated in terms of loading , voltage and technical

loss reduction plan.

4. The technical loss reduction and network optimization plan for entire network including cost

benefit analysis for next five years will be prepared.

5. Master plan for cost network augmentation will also be prepared.

3.0 Mapping projects of GOTN

M/s National Informatics Centre has commenced the Computer aided utility Mapping of Chennai

City funded by Planning commission involving sharing of GIS data between utilities namely Tamil

Nadu Electricity Board, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai Metropolitan Water

Supply and Sewerage Board, Chennai City Traffic Police, Metropolitan Transport Corporation and

Fire and Rescue Services etc. The map in the scale of 1:1000 will be hoisted from Chennai

Corporation and shared between the utilities. M/s NIC has supplied the required hardware and

software.

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

M/s NIC is expected to cover the balance area after completion of the initial area 180 sq.km. When

the base map is available power distribution network will be overlayed on the base map. All the

assets like Distribution Transformer Structure, Pillar boxes , cables and consumers will also have to

be Geo referenced and incorporated into the GIS.

Presently M/s NIC has hoisted the base map of 10 sq.km around Kolathur and George town area of

Chennai city and the balance map of 170 sq.km will be hoisted by Mar 2009.

4.0 Work planned

Electrical Distribution network will be overlaid on base map in different layers covering HT(High

Tension), LT(Low Tension) and consumer details exactly as per site conditions with offset

measurements. The cable routes should be exactly as per site. The attributes of all the network

components including Underground and Overhead cables and joints should be collected including

the network connectivity. Important junctions at Cable routes, location of Joints, Structures, Pillars,

Consumers, Substation, FOC(Fuse of Calls) centers should be Geo referenced. The data should be

entered in the corresponding tables of the data base. It shall also be ensured by verification that

the entire networks along with all consumers are properly covered.

1) Geo data of the electricity distribution network should be collected by physical survey

using GPS & cable route tracers, collecting of attributes information and data validation.

2) The electricity distribution network should be mapped using polygon, line and point themes in

various layers in ARCVIEW 9.2 with the base map as reference .

3) The acceptable tolerance value is ±5% for spatial attributes and no tolerance shall be

permitted for non spatial attributes.

4) Entry of attribute data in the data base.

5) Linking of the attribute information with network data and establishing the network

connectivity as per Unified Modeling Language diagram developed.

6) The output will be as shape files with data in Oracle 10g, loaded and tested in the

ARC SDE server.

7) Standard formats to be developed in ARCIMS, ARCSDE , Arcview 9.2 for data

input , data output, queries and report generation.

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

8) The GIS software namely ARCIMS, ARCSDE, Arc view 9.2 has to be customized to the user

requirements.

The salient features of the customized software are given below.

i) Easy Map handling facility

a. Division of Map into series and sheets.

b. Allocation of work areas.

c. Map security.

d. Zooming into required Network or Map Component based

on query.

e. Search criteria should be available for all network

components.

f. Queries and report generation on all data.

ii) A Library of electrical symbols should be created for insertion of all electrical

components along with their related attribute data. The Cable tool with data should

be capable of automatic computation of Cable length and data. Split Cable tool with

data form should be available with automatic splitting of Cable length and associated

data.

iii) Tracks system to view and indicate multiple cables

iv) Queries on the network : Standard queries should be available on all single or

Multiple data fields on single or multiple network components.

v) Customization Fault data entry and associated report

generation.

Easy customization of Queries should be possible. Queries should be possible

on all single or multiple data fields on single or multiple network fault

components with geographical reference.

vi) The electrical connectivity shall be established at all times between any electrical

components in the network. It shall be linked so that connectivity shall be

checked at all times through the logical checks. Reverse connectivity from end

                            to another should also be established.   

       vii)         Print layouts 

1. Automatic generation of print layouts based on querying with connected Data.

2. Easy customization of print layouts 

  viii)               Report generation 

1. Periodical reports like monthly, annual etc.,

2. Results of queries

3. Asset details

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

Easy customization of reports and facilitate transfer of report into MS Word, MS Excel, for easy

editing and printing should be possible

SEARCH

ELECTRICAL GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

ORGANISATION

SUBSTATIO

FEEDER

STRUCTUR

DISTRIBUTION

LT FEEDER

CONSUMER

PILLAR/MINI PILLAR

AREA

BRIDGE

LANDMARK

CIRCLE

DIVISON

SUB-

SECTION POLYGON

FAULT

ELECTRICAL GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION

ORGANISATION

SUBSTATIO

FEEDER

STRUCTUR

DISTRIBUTION

LT FEEDER

CONSUMER

PILLAR/MINI

AREA CIRCLE

DIVISON

SUB-

SECTION

POLYGON

10th ESRI India User Conference 2009 Geography in Action

9) Data has to be integrated for viewing with existing database in SCADA, HT Billing, LT Billing and

Call Centre. For this purpose LAN with CALL CENTRE only has to be established. The above

integration is important to have real time information on the consumer like supply status, billing

status and to locate the called consumer in case of outage so as to take up required contingency

actions on real time basis.

10. The electrical distribution network has to be hoisted in website for viewing by the field

personnel.

11. The network details should be updated with Geo-referencing periodically.

5.0 Conclusion

GIS can effectively manage information of the distribution of electricity and also the information

describing the attributes of each consumer such as location and consumption pattern. GIS will

improve the performance of Distribution system to meet the required target is a matter of selecting

the most cost-effective and appropriate technology with right operating practices. The distribution

systems tend to be very extensive with a long life span for conductors and installations. It is not

sufficient to analyze how a particular portion of the network may be modified to improve its

performance today, rather the focus should be in determining the optimal solution based on future

demand scenario.

GIS technology helps in fast, accurate and reliable data management. Since the sub-transmission

and the distribution network of a power utility have geographical reference, it is beneficial to create

the network on GIS map and constantly update the same as per field parameters. With periodic

updating and monitoring, GIS mapping of the Electrical Network and Consumer database helps in

improved load management, loss reduction, better revenue realization, asset and work management

and possibly better consumer relationship.

GIS could be of immense help to planners and engineers, more so in this context, in the selection of

suitable areas, optimum path finding, profile analyses, engineering design of towers and wires and

efficient cost estimation.

GIS diffusion into operational use will have technical and commercial significant impacts on the

operation of the power distribution organization.