Overview

SmartOMS is a fully integrated, flexible and feature-rich Outage Management System (OMS). It is designed to run on the SCADA host, with a user interface built into the WorldView operator interface. SmartOMS is therefore fully redundant along with the rest of the SCADA system. Some of its benefits are :

• Reduced outage durations due to faster restoration based upon outage location predictions
• Reduced outage duration averages due to prioritizing
• Improved media relations by providing accurate outage and restoration information
• Fewer complaints to regulators due to ability to prioritize restoration of emergency facilities and other critical customers
• Reduced outage frequency due to use of outage statistics for making targeted reliability improvements
• Fast track down of problem location by meter ping analysis with AMI interface
• Instantaneous crew locations with AVL interface

Automated Data Entry

SmartOMS is highly automated and yet very interactive in the management of calls and outages. The purpose of this is to help the dispatcher as much as possible, but still give him complete control and all final decisions.

Data entry is automated (e.g. customer account and service location data is automatically retrieved and inserted into trouble call records), and is overridable by the dispatcher.

Trouble call records that are automatically initiated may be saved for analysis or dismissed at the dispatcher's discretion. Trouble and incident call records may also be manually initiated by the dispatcher.

In an outage case record, when the dispatcher selects the device at fault (by clicking on it on the map), the system fills in the line section information, including the name of the feeder, and computes and stores the total number of lost customers and connected KVA.

Call Analysis

The analysis of saved calls produces a report containing recommended new or updated outage cases with the predicted fault locations. If the dispatcher accepts a recommendation, the system creates a new outage case or updates an existing one and displays it to the dispatcher for approval.

Callbacks

Callbacks (to verify restoration) are facilitated by a callback list that is automatically generated for an outage case based on priorities and flags in the customer database as well as on requests made during telephone calls.

IVR and Caller ID

If IVR or Caller ID is available, SmartOMS looks up the telephone number in the customer database and displays the name, priority and meter number in a Call Display.

Both the customer data and transformer location, as well as an indication of whether the service location is already part of an outage case, are made available to the dispatcher in a Call Record window when he takes the call.

SmartOMS makes use of an optional Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to automatically handle calls from customers in areas that have confirmed outages. If a caller is in a known outage area, then SmartOMS uses the IVR to:

• provide the caller a pre-recorded message describing the status of the problem
• provide the caller the option to hear pre-recorded messages describing the status of all the outages in the utility's service area
• allow the caller to leave a message for the dispatcher
• allow the caller to speak directly to the dispatcher
• SmartOMS can be fully operated without the help of IVR or Caller ID                    

WorldView Map Interface

Symbols are displayed at customer meter locations to indicate trouble calls. Tickets are displayed at line sections that are identified as locations of outages. Push buttons are provided in the OMS dialogs to allow the dispatcher to:

• find a service location (meter) in the map
• find an outage location in the map
• find a crew (by finding its vehicle) in the map, if AVL is available
• view all calls associated with a proposed outage case in the map
• view the outage area associated with an outage case                    

The location of an outage can be specified by simply clicking on the device in the map, which automatically populates the outage case record.

Crew Management

A crew management function is included to keep track of work assignments. The crew "busy" status updates automatically when the dispatcher assigns a crew to an outage case or indicates work completion.

Switch Orders and Guarantees

Smart OMS includes a link between outage cases and the existing switch orders and guarantees function.

SCADA Events and Operations

The SCADA system will forward to OMS notifications of all SCADA events and operations that are relevant to OMS. These include:

• telemetered breaker trips
• manually initiated controls (including those issued from switch orders)
• automatic controls (including those from FDIR)
• application and removal of temporary devices such as cuts, jumpers, temporary sources and phase-changing switches

For events such as telemetered breaker trips that result in lockout, the OMS will automatically create outage case records.

AMI

When navigating to a customer's meter location, the dispatcher can ping the customer's meter even while the customer is still on the telephone. After taking the call, the dispatcher can ping all the meters on the surrounding circuit to determine the extent of the outage. Or, if the meter is suitably equipped, and the customer is calling to complain about power quality, the dispatcher can interrogate the meter to read the current voltage and/or upload an event history for the meter from the AMI system.

Read More About Smart Outage Management System (OMS)