GIS Department Helps Reliability

When people think of Delaware Electric Co-op, the first thing they probably think of are bucket trucks and utility poles. But one of the most integral parts of running an efficient cooperative – and one of the most overlooked – is the GIS (Geospatial Information Systems) Department. DEC’s GIS Department uses information through GIS technology and software to visually chart or map the work being done in the field. GIS Manager Bill Docca says the map works as a digital living document for everybody at the Co-op to see equipment and devices in the field. “It’s a visualization of a database,” Docca says. “GIS here at Delaware Electric is really how we track our field assets so everybody can see and make decisions based on that information.” Docca and his team oversee, add and correct changes made to the map to ensure it is as up-to-date and accurate as possible for its daily use by Co-op employees. The work of the GIS team ensures employees in the field know where transformers and other electrical equipment are located, which is critical to Co-op reliability. According to GIS technician Brenda Quillen, “We open our map every morning, and it has all of our jobs listed. We can see the jobs field engineers have planned, the work crews have built and updates from dispatch. It’s a team effort to keep the lights on.”