IBM Case Studies Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. powers up a smarter network

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	Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. powers up a smarter network IBM

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. powers up a smarter network

IBM

Technology Category	Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services
Applicable Industries	Utilities
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Maintenance
Use Cases	Energy Management System Predictive Maintenance Theft Detection
Services	Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services System Integration
Challenge	Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) manages the distribution of electricity in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The utility delivers power supply to more than 1.59 million consumers across 13 districts. UPCL’s distribution network covers a geographical area of more than 50,000 square kilometers, presenting a significant challenge when it comes to meeting Uttarakhand’s daily energy demand. The utility wanted to gain deeper insight into the performance of its network, so that it could better serve customers, cut costs and guarantee more reliable power supply. Lacking a proper asset management framework, UPCL found it difficult to accurately pinpoint faults or weaknesses in the network. The company also wanted to reduce instances of energy theft. By improving detection of spikes in electricity usage across its network, UPCL would be able to better identify anomalous consumption levels that could point to theft. These issues were compounded by poor availability of business information, as UPCL relied on third-party agencies to house power consumption data and manage billing. Without proper data and reliable access to customer records, UPCL had no way to track how many customer service requests it received and how many had been addressed. This exposed the company to fines and penalties from the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) for failing to meet established service levels in a timely fashion. Read More
About Customer	Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) is a utility company that manages the distribution of electricity in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Established in 2001, the utility delivers power supply to more than 1.59 million consumers across 13 districts. UPCL’s distribution network covers a geographical area of more than 50,000 square kilometers. The company is tasked with the challenge of meeting Uttarakhand’s daily energy demand. UPCL lacked a proper asset management framework, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint faults or weaknesses in the network. The company also wanted to reduce instances of energy theft. UPCL relied on third-party agencies to house power consumption data and manage billing, which led to poor availability of business information. Without proper data and reliable access to customer records, UPCL had no way to track how many customer service requests it received and how many had been addressed. Read More
Solution	UPCL turned to IBM Business Partner Phoenix IT Solutions Ltd. for a utility management solution, and selected the mPower Smart Utility Suite: an end-to-end system for handling meter-to-cash and customer care processes, which is supported by powerful IBM technology for optimum performance. The solution provides integration with a geographic information system (GIS), a meter data acquisition system and a billing system. A metrics dashboard allows UPCL to view and manage outages and interruptions, helping to ensure swifter resolution of service issues. The solution identifies where each and every meter is, and locates defective meters and tracks interruptions and outages end-to-end. The system uses statistical data and demand load flow analysis to assess the health of the network, trace energy imbalances across it and determine if it can withstand any additional proposed loads. A broad suite of IBM solutions form a solid backbone for UPCL’s utility management system, ensuring top performance and stability for vital applications, and secure access to company systems and data. IBM DB2 acts as the back-end database for the mPower technology suite and associated applications, providing easy management and top performance for high-volume workloads. UPCL uses IBM Tivoli Identity Manager and IBM Tivoli Access Manager to rationalize access to a variety of applications running on different platforms and technologies, with centralized user management and single sign-on capabilities. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services

Applicable Industries

Utilities

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Maintenance

Use Cases

Energy Management System

Predictive Maintenance

Theft Detection

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

System Integration

Challenge

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) manages the distribution of electricity in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The utility delivers power supply to more than 1.59 million consumers across 13 districts. UPCL’s distribution network covers a geographical area of more than 50,000 square kilometers, presenting a significant challenge when it comes to meeting Uttarakhand’s daily energy demand. The utility wanted to gain deeper insight into the performance of its network, so that it could better serve customers, cut costs and guarantee more reliable power supply. Lacking a proper asset management framework, UPCL found it difficult to accurately pinpoint faults or weaknesses in the network. The company also wanted to reduce instances of energy theft. By improving detection of spikes in electricity usage across its network, UPCL would be able to better identify anomalous consumption levels that could point to theft. These issues were compounded by poor availability of business information, as UPCL relied on third-party agencies to house power consumption data and manage billing. Without proper data and reliable access to customer records, UPCL had no way to track how many customer service requests it received and how many had been addressed. This exposed the company to fines and penalties from the Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (UERC) for failing to meet established service levels in a timely fashion.

About Customer

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. (UPCL) is a utility company that manages the distribution of electricity in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Established in 2001, the utility delivers power supply to more than 1.59 million consumers across 13 districts. UPCL’s distribution network covers a geographical area of more than 50,000 square kilometers. The company is tasked with the challenge of meeting Uttarakhand’s daily energy demand. UPCL lacked a proper asset management framework, making it difficult to accurately pinpoint faults or weaknesses in the network. The company also wanted to reduce instances of energy theft. UPCL relied on third-party agencies to house power consumption data and manage billing, which led to poor availability of business information. Without proper data and reliable access to customer records, UPCL had no way to track how many customer service requests it received and how many had been addressed.

Solution

UPCL turned to IBM Business Partner Phoenix IT Solutions Ltd. for a utility management solution, and selected the mPower Smart Utility Suite: an end-to-end system for handling meter-to-cash and customer care processes, which is supported by powerful IBM technology for optimum performance. The solution provides integration with a geographic information system (GIS), a meter data acquisition system and a billing system. A metrics dashboard allows UPCL to view and manage outages and interruptions, helping to ensure swifter resolution of service issues. The solution identifies where each and every meter is, and locates defective meters and tracks interruptions and outages end-to-end. The system uses statistical data and demand load flow analysis to assess the health of the network, trace energy imbalances across it and determine if it can withstand any additional proposed loads. A broad suite of IBM solutions form a solid backbone for UPCL’s utility management system, ensuring top performance and stability for vital applications, and secure access to company systems and data. IBM DB2 acts as the back-end database for the mPower technology suite and associated applications, providing easy management and top performance for high-volume workloads. UPCL uses IBM Tivoli Identity Manager and IBM Tivoli Access Manager to rationalize access to a variety of applications running on different platforms and technologies, with centralized user management and single sign-on capabilities.

Impact #1	The utility management solution has transformed the way UPCL manages its power network and operates as a business.
Impact #2	By integrating many aspects of the utility management cycle and delivering accurate baseline data, the solution provides UPCL with network-wide visibility, delivering sound, up-to-date information to support decision-making.
Impact #3	Data that was once owned by third-party agencies is now in-house, accessible and available, and key business processes that were previously paper-based and manual have been streamlined and replaced by automation.

Impact #1

The utility management solution has transformed the way UPCL manages its power network and operates as a business.

Impact #2

By integrating many aspects of the utility management cycle and delivering accurate baseline data, the solution provides UPCL with network-wide visibility, delivering sound, up-to-date information to support decision-making.

Impact #3

Data that was once owned by third-party agencies is now in-house, accessible and available, and key business processes that were previously paper-based and manual have been streamlined and replaced by automation.

Benefit #1	Expected to reduce commercial losses by as much as 10 percent in the first two years.
Benefit #2	Will cut billing cycle by half, increasing revenue and improving customer satisfaction.
Benefit #3	The company anticipates that it will be able to cut commercial losses from 25 - 30 percent to 15 percent or less in the next five years.

Benefit #1

Expected to reduce commercial losses by as much as 10 percent in the first two years.

Benefit #2

Will cut billing cycle by half, increasing revenue and improving customer satisfaction.

Benefit #3

The company anticipates that it will be able to cut commercial losses from 25 - 30 percent to 15 percent or less in the next five years.

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Overview

Uttarakhand Power Corporation Ltd. powers up a smarter network

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit