Through ongoing engineering consulting to distribution utility and coop clients, ECF identified an ever-growing need of analyzing electrical distribution networks for short circuit, voltage drop, power flow, coordination studies, etc. A main setback with smaller clients is not having an electrical model of their distribution network. However, most, if not all, clients do have a GIS record and asset platform detailing location, connectivity and certain specifications of each asset in their network.
To help bridge this gap, ECF invested resources to develop a software tool capable of building an accurate electrical network model from existing GIS databases. The software deploys an iterative algorithm to trace the GIS network model while looking for asset markers through each network or radial path. Furthermore, the software is able to condition the GIS data, after processing, to match electrical analysis software format. Moreover, a mapping mechanism is built-into the software to match a multitude of power system analyses software and client data formats.
The software tool will enable ECF’s clients to successfully port their existing GIS network into an accurate electrical network model capable of handling power system analyses required for the safe and efficient operation of their distribution grid.
