ATLANTA, May 11, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Hurricanes, ice storms and even communication failures among utilities can produce long-term outages that lead previously passive regulators to insist utilities install outage management systems. Utilities can use outage management systems, automated meter reading (AMR) systems or a combination of the two to improve outage detection/restoration, but which of those investment options will provide the best return for your utility?
Find out how four leading utilities have answered this question at Chartwell's Audio Conference on Outage Management on Wed., May 25, 2005 at 2 p.m. The audio conference will include speakers from leading utilities using different systems to track and restore outages:
-- Puget Sound Energy: John McClaine, Manager - Metering Network
Services, Puget Sound Energy - Mr. McClaine will discuss how
Puget Sound Energy uses its wireless AMR system in lieu of an
outage management system.
-- PPL Electric Utilities: Michael Godorov, Special Project Manager
- Mr. Godorov will describe PPL's latest innovations in the
combined use of AMR and legacy outage management systems.
-- Georgia Power: Hamilton Hardin, Manager - Metro Trouble Services
& Aaron Strickland, Storm Center Manager - Mr. Hamilton and Mr.
Strickland will explain how Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power
leveraged its outage management system to respond to Hurricane
Ivan last summer in September 2004.
-- Omaha Public Power District: Juli Comstock, Manager - Customer
Operations Technology - Ms. Comstock will discuss how a new
outage management system helps OPPD identify outages quicker and
the impact such initiatives have on customer expectations.
Among the questions to be discussed:
-- How are utilities improving their ability to respond to and
manage outages?
-- Are both Outage Management and Automated Metering Reading systems
required to detect outages before customers call or more quickly
restore "nested" outages? If so, can these systems work together?
-- Do utilities have to wait until a big storm hits to gain
regulatory approval of expenditures for outage management or
other systems that can help improve reliability and outage
communication?
-- How can these systems help improve CAIDI and SAIDI scores and
customer satisfaction?
-- How can outage management enhancements help improve relations
with regulators?
Register today for Chartwell's Audio Conference on Outage Management. Call (404) 237-9099 or visit www.chartwellinc.com.
COST: $95 for Chartwell Premier Members $195 for non-members