Electric utilities are facing a major data problem. With over 600,000 miles of transmission lines in the U.S. and more than 5.5 million miles of distribution lines, the volume of data generated from inspecting the country’s aging infrastructure is increasingly overwhelming. Many utilities still rely on manual processes to collect and organize this data, making it difficult to extract useful insights, collaborate effectively, and make informed decisions. Â
As inspection demands increase, data management is becoming the key to maintaining service reliability and preventing outages. Without automated systems to handle these vast amounts of data, the performance potential that resides within this information will remain largely untapped. In this article, we’ll look at the data arena that electric utilities find themselves in, the issues that come with it, and how automated systems like UNITI Workspace can provide an effective way forward.Â
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The Growing Volume of Data in Electric Utility Inspections
As assets age, utilities are required to conduct more frequent inspections to ensure service continuity and prevent costly interruptions. These inspections—often visual—rely on the expertise and judgment of field personnel. However, as assets grow in number and complexity, the volume of data generated from these inspections increases dramatically. While inspections are performed using a diverse range of devices, including tablets, drones, or aircraft, the resultant data is largely unstructured.
This poses a significant challenge. A typical field inspector, for example, will handle anywhere from 150 to 200 poles a week, with each inspection generating a vast number of images, videos, and other data points. Without an automated system to sort, categorize, and associate this data with specific assets, these data collection efforts are of limited use. As a result, electric utility companies are struggling to maintain consistency in their data management practices, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and oversights.
The Limits of Manual Data Management
Despite technological advancements, many utilities still rely on outdated data management processes. Files are often stored in disparate systems, on shared drives, or even in physical formats. This lack of a centralized, standardized data management system results in a number of major problems:
- Inconsistent Data
Data collected by inspectors using different methods is often stored in different formats, creating difficulties when it comes to performing comparisons and analyses. With no uniform labeling or categorization procedure, it can be difficult for teams to work collaboratively and analyze data meaningfully. - Knowledge Loss
Many utilities depend on experienced personnel to conduct inspections and interpret results. When these workers retire or leave the company, valuable knowledge and expertise disappear with them. With no automated system to capture and organize inspection data, utilities are unable to retain critical information that could help guide future inspections and decision-making. - Increased Downtime and Delays
The inefficiency of manual data handling extends beyond organizational challenges. Utilities that rely on traditional inspection methods often experience longer downtime during maintenance activities. In 2023, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) found that utilities still using manual inspection processes faced, on average, 30% longer maintenance downtimes than those leveraging automated systems for data management. - Fragmented Data Access
When data is stored in various systems or platforms, it becomes harder to access and share. This creates silos within organizations, making it hard for teams or departments to collaborate, or share insights. Without a central repository, tracking the history of assets, analyzing trends, or gaining a comprehensive understanding of the utility’s infrastructure becomes hugely problematic.
The Need for Centralized, Automated Data Management
The key to addressing these problems, of course, lies in automated data management. Utilities need a system that can smoothly integrate data from multiple collection methods—whether they be drones, mobile devices, or manual field reports—into a single, centralized resource. This system should automatically associate the collected data with specific assets using geographic metadata, making sure that each image or piece of information is linked to the right transmission tower or line segment.
Platforms like UNITI Workspace, for example, are designed to automate the process of data association, providing utilities with a single source of truth. By geo-referencing inspection data to individual assets, UNITI Workspace eliminates the need for manual sorting and reduces the risk of errors. It ensures that all teams across an organization are working from the same dataset, vastly improving collaboration and decision-making in general.
Benefits of Automated Image Management
Automating the management of inspection data offers several key benefits:
- Centralized Data Repository
With an automated image management system, all inspection data is stored in one location. This makes it easier for teams to access the data they need, regardless of the collection device used. Whether an inspector is using a drone or a tablet, all the images and metadata are automatically organized and accessible, improving collaboration and efficiency across teams. - Improved Inspection Efficiency
One of the primary advantages of automation is the ability to reduce the time spent on data handling. Automating the ingestion and sorting of images and other inspection data, utilities can reduce the manual effort required to process and analyze this information. This allows inspectors to focus on fieldwork, improving productivity and ultimately the health of the assets. - Reduced Labor Costs
Automating workflows allows utilities to reduce labor costs associated with data handling and management. For instance, data automation can result in 20% time savings for drone-based inspections. - Proactive Maintenance
Arguably the most important benefit of automated data management is the ability to transition from reactive to proactive maintenance. With organized and easily accessible data, utilities can monitor asset conditions more effectively and identify potential issues before they become failures. This enables predictive maintenance strategies that can extend asset lifespans and reduce the risk of unplanned outages.
How Automated Image Management Works in Practice
Automated image management systems like UNITI Workspace can fundamentally transform the performance of a utility company. After inspectors capture images, videos, or other data points during their fieldwork, the data is automatically uploaded to a centralized platform, where it is geo-referenced to specific assets using geographic metadata.
The system sorts and organizes this data, linking it to individual assets based on location, timestamp, and other relevant information. This removes the need for manual categorization and reduces the risk of errors or misinterpretations. The result is a comprehensive, easily accessible record of all inspections, providing utilities with real-time insights into the health of their infrastructure.
Additionally, the platform heightens collaboration by allowing teams to access and share data in real time. Whether it’s field technicians, maintenance teams, or engineers, all stakeholders can access the same data and work from the same dataset, ensuring consistency and accuracy in decision-making.
UNITI Workspace – The Future of Data Management in Utilities
The convergence of evolving technologies and increasing data volumes is going to define the utility sector in the coming years. As inspection methods and data points expand in range, the sheer quantity of data generated will exceed the capacity of traditional manual systems. Without automation, this influx of data will simply flood legacy systems, making the gathering of this amount of data effectively redundant.
To tackle the challenge, utilities must adopt automated management systems. Platforms like UNITI Workspace provide utility companies with a data management framework that allows them to stay ahead of the curve, automatically. With effective data management at the heart of technologies such as predictive analytics and condition-based monitoring, UNITI Workspace provides the foundation needed for utilities to predict failures before they even happen.
To find out more about UNITI Workspace and how the platform can transform the efficiency and reliability of your utility infrastructure you can learn more here.
