July 10, 2019 -- Guam Power Authority (GPA) became the first electric distribution utility to operate business critical functions on Esri’s Utility Network. On July 1, GPA’s customer service portal “went live.” Other functions to support operation of the island’s sole power provider will soon follow over the next weeks and months.

Fifteen hours ahead of Pacific Daylight time, Guam greets the morning before the rest of the nation. So it’s no surprise that this unincorporated US territory whose largest customers include the Department of Defense, various components of the Government of Guam, retailers and a vibrant hotel industry, would be the first to operate using the Electric Utility Network Foundation template.

“GPA was in a position to begin new integrations to strengthen the reliability of their power service,” said Larry Wilke, strategic consultant for POWER Engineers who is leading GPA’s transition to the new network. “They were aware of Esri’s advancements with the Utility Network and decided to opt for a new platform rather than integrate distribution management and advanced grid analytical functions in their existing platform.”

This new model has a level of detail that allows for better use of planning, engineering and operations, while supporting the GPA teams during common disaster events like the most recent typhoon Wutip in February of 2019.

“Everyone who lives, works and plays on Guam depends on GPA to operate one of Guam’s most important resources – the island wide power system,” said John M. Benavente, P.E., GPA General Manager. “The future of our island depends on building a stable foundation of economic growth and quality of life for everyone on Guam. At the heart of this stable foundation is reliable electric power that is economical and environmentally friendly.”

GPA’s pioneering implementation will be awarded with a Special Achievement in GIS award at the Esri User Conference on July 10 in San Diego, CA. “GPA’s GIS staff worked hard with the POWER team to get Esri’s newly-minted software in production,” said Wilke. “It’s great to see them receive special recognition for their visionary approach and forward thinking.”

Guam Power Authority (GPA) became the first electric distribution utility to operate business critical functions on Esri’s Utility Network. On July 1, GPA’s customer service portal “went live.” Other functions to support operation of the island’s sole power provider will soon follow over the next weeks and months.

Fifteen hours ahead of continental US time, Guam greets the morning before the rest of the nation. So it’s no surprise that this unincorporated US territory whose largest customers include the Department of Defense, various components of the Government of Guam, retailers and a vibrant hotel industry, would be the first to operate using the Electric Utility Network Foundation template.

“GPA was in a position to begin new integrations to strengthen the reliability of their power service,” said Larry Wilke, strategic consultant for POWER Engineers who is leading GPA’s transition to the new network. “They were aware of Esri’s advancements with the Utility Network and decided to opt for a new platform rather than integrate distribution management and advanced grid analytical functions in their existing platform.” This new model has a level of detail that allows for better use of planning, engineering and operations, while supporting the GPA teams during common disaster events like the most recent typhoon Wutip in February of 2019.

“Everyone who lives, works and plays on Guam depends on GPA to operate one of Guam’s most important resources – the island wide power system,” said John M. Benavente, P.E., GPA General Manager. “The future of our island depends on building a stable foundation of economic growth and quality of life for everyone on Guam. At the heart of this stable foundation is reliable electric power that is economical and environmentally friendly.”

GPA’s pioneering implementation will be awarded with a  Special Achievement in GIS award at the Esri User Conference on July 10 in San Diego, CA. “GPA’s GIS staff worked hard with the POWER team to get Esri’s newly-minted software in production,” said Wilke. “It’s great to see them receive special recognition for their visionary approach and forward thinking.”

POWER’s Geospatial and Asset Management Solutions group provides experience with industry-leading technologies and a wide range of solutions for electric, gas and water utilities as well as municipal governments.

About GPA
GPA is a public corporation and an enterprise fund of the Government of Guam that is governed by elected commissioners. They serve 50,000 customers with major plant assets that include generation with 525 MW gross generation capacity, 175 miles of transmission lines, 646 miles of distribution primary lines and 28 substations. Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana islands chain in the South Pacific Ocean, 5,800 miles west of San Francisco and 1,600 miles east of Manila.

About POWER Engineers
POWER Engineers is a global consulting engineering firm specializing in the delivery of integrated solutions for energy, food and beverage, facilities, environmental and federal markets. POWER Engineers offers complete multidiscipline engineering, architectural and program management services. Founded in 1976, it is an employee-owned company with more than 2,500 employees and 45 offices throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, please visit  www.powereng.com.

About Esri 
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, offers the most powerful geospatial cloud available, to help customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations including 90 of the Fortune 100 companies, all 50 state governments, more than half of all counties (large and small), and 87 of the Forbes Top 100 Colleges in the U.S., as well as all 15 Executive Departments of the U.S. Government and dozens of independent agencies. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most advanced solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at  esri.com/news.