POWERGRAMS

SCIENCE GIS advances bring APC major awards, recognition was impossible for engineers to locate the lines' original locations. It takes a vision to accomplish great things, but even more so, it In the throes of the emergency, Weninegar contacted Marie takes a strong leader to champion the cause. Mouchet, vice president and IT chief information officer, For James Weninegar and his team, the vision led to quantum Southern Company Operations and Southern Nuclear. leaps in geographic information system (GIS) technology "The transmission trouble-tracking system needed reportthat is reshaping the electric-utility industry. In response, the writing capabilities," Weninegar said. Mouchet assembled a team Environmental Systems Research Institute honored Weninegar composed of IT Systems Analyst Richard Finch, PD Systems and Alabama Power with its Special Service Award during the recent International User Conference. About 13,000 people attended the meeting in San Diego. "At the end of the day, it's the results that count," Weninegar said. He is proud that ESRI honored the team effort, with work done by GIS Support Supervisor Remi Myers and Survey Support Specialists Matt Clarkson, Josh McCurry and Ed Williams. As early as 1985, Weninegar led a research and development project to create GIS mapping systems to capture transmission data. "The vision we have as a work group is mainly work-focused, using technology to make Transmission's work easier and faster, and to provide more information," said Weninegar, McCurry, Williams, Weninegar, Myers and Clarkson. Line Routing and Survey manager Transmission Line Services. Analyst Brian Talley and Application Portfolio Managers Herb Weninegar has championed GIS as a way to build solutions Oakes and Glenn Taylor. The group ran with the project, for improving Transmission operations and saving money. Weninegar said, creating a "transview" application that allowed Transmission Line Services promotes the use of light detection engineers to see which lines were out in real-time. and ranging (LiDAR) data – combined with aerial photography "IT implemented the system and within a few days, we had – to add depth to line designs by supplying engineers with more a solution and a system in place," Weninegar said. "It was accurate maps and data. His team worked to design a line routing phenomenal. You can have the technology and create a great tool for engineers that enables them to devise the lowest-cost, application, but if it doesn't work, it will fall by the wayside. This best route to install transmission lines, using rapid reporting and showed what we can create by working together as a team." updated views of proposed projects. The GIS work continues as Transmission is producing "LiDar and Google Earth mapping created a paradigm shift," hundreds of survey and map products to complete a new 60he said. "Suddenly, maps were available." mile transmission line. GIS and LiDAR is allowing Transmission Used in many fields, LiDar provides shaded relief in drawings employees to expedite the design, cutting several months from the that allow employees to view vegetation and terrain, as well as schedule, in addition to offering improved design efficiencies. transmission facilities. LiDar allows engineers to see the world in "Before GIS and LiDar, there's no way we could have met this a new way: Designers are no longer confined to images on a flat, kind of delivery date," said Weninegar, a licensed professional two-dimensional paper surface. With 3-D capability, Transmission engineer who graduated in civil engineering from the University engineers no longer have to drive hours to verify electrical of South Alabama. clearances. Weninegar has worked to make the transmission "These technologies have improved our work flow," he said. data available to the Planning and Routing, Survey, Design and "Ultimately, we're now doing things with real-time storm Construction groups. assessment that we didn't dream of five years ago. It's an everThe ESRI award is the second honor Alabama Power has taken evolving process, and we want to see it taken to another level." for exceptional efforts in developing GIS platforms. Last year, Weninegar attended the Geospatial World Forum in Amsterdam, By Donna Cope accepting the Geospatial Award for the company's efforts following the April 2011 tornadoes. That project was birthed after the deadly storm system hit Alabama, leaving the company's Transmission system with unprecedented damage. Within 48 hours, personnel evaluated more than 5,500 miles of transmission lines. In total, 171 transmission lines were out and 400 transmission structures needed replacing. Some landscapes were so severely damaged it 7

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