GISCafe Industry Predictions for 2025 – Noteworthy

By Juliet Su, Product Development Manager, Noteworty

Juliet Su

GIS Data in 2025: The Foundation for Utility Distribution Grid Modernization and Resilience

As utilities embrace the challenges of the ongoing energy transition, geospatial data collection and analytics are emerging as foundational elements for modernizing grid operations and enhancing resilience. To meet the ever-increasing need for accurate, high-quality, and up-to-date geospatial information, utilities are shifting away from legacy boots-on-the-ground inspection methods in favor of more innovative solutions, such as drones, asset-mounted hardware, vehicle-mounted inspection systems, and other smart grid monitoring technologies. Utilities that effectively integrate and scale these technologies will be better positioned to navigate the demands of widespread electrification, ensuring a smarter, more resilient grid for the future.

The Scope of the Challenge

The scale of distribution infrastructure is immense, presenting challenges distinct from those of its generation and transmission counterparts. In the United States alone, estimates from groups such as EEI and the American Galvanizers Association suggest there are between 140 and 180 million utility poles. Each pole, often equipped with transformers, insulators, switches, and other hardware, contributes to billions of distinct assets utilities must manage.

Maintaining an accurate snapshot of distribution grid assets is a continual challenge. Extreme weather events and wildfires frequently lead to reactive infrastructure changes that go unrecorded. Legacy pole inspection cycles, which can range from annual to once every 15 years, create data gaps, while fragmented data collection methods across operational groups result in discrepancies that require reconciliation. As utilities modernize their record-keeping and operations, the need for accurate, unified geospatial data has become critical for ensuring grid resiliency, reliability, and safety.

Scaling Power Distribution GIS Data Collection Through Automation

The key to managing such a vast and complex GIS database lies in scaling data collection and analysis through automation. Utilities are increasingly adopting innovative technologies to reduce manual workloads while addressing gaps in asset records. IoT-enabled pole-mounted hardware, for instance, provides real-time monitoring of equipment conditions and environmental factors, offering continuous updates without manual inspections. Programmed drone flights streamline transmission and substation inspections, while vehicle-mounted camera systems allow for efficient roadside asset data collection across expansive service territories.

Together, these advancements are transforming how utilities gather, update, and manage their geospatial data, paving the way for more resilient and reliable grid operations.

AI-Assisted Insights to Improve Grid Resiliency, Reliability & Safety

Solving the data collection problem is only part of the equation. For a network as extensive as the distribution grid, a repository of images or sensor readings provides little value without actionable insights derived from the data. Streamlining this analysis process is the next major milestone for utilities, enabling them to tackle the scalability challenge of managing distribution grid data effectively.

By leveraging computer vision and AI, utilities can significantly reduce the need for manual data review while unlocking powerful capabilities such as automatic pole-top asset inventory, defect detection, change tracking, and predictive analytics. As data volume grows and AI models become more sophisticated, utilities will benefit from enhanced situational awareness across their service territories, enabling more precise, data-driven decision-making.

When fully harnessed, AI and machine learning transform large-scale geospatial data into dynamic tools for proactive grid management, operational efficiency, and smarter capital investments. By identifying and prioritizing high-risk assets or areas, utilities can strategically allocate resources to reinforce grid resilience and reliability.

GIS as a Strategic Advantage

The distribution grid, often referred to as the “last mile” of electricity delivery, is a primary focus for investment and innovation due to its critical role in connecting renewables, distributed generation, and other electrified end uses. As the energy transition accelerates, the utilities that thrive will be those that effectively harness geospatial data as a core component of their grid planning, operations, and maintenance strategies. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies to manage this data, these utilities will lead the charge in building smarter, more resilient grids capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

About Author:

Juliet has spent the past 7 years designing, developing and managing technology products and projects. At Noteworthy, she is responsible for planning and managing the product development process for Inspect. Juliet holds a BSc in Chemistry from Caltech. 

Tags: AI-assisted grid resilience, automated data collection, distribution grid data, drone inspections, geospatial data analytics, GIS in utilities, grid modernization, IoT in power grids, predictive analytics for utilities, proactive grid management, renewable energy integration, smart grid technologies, smart utility monitoring., utility pole management

Category: Industry Predictions

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 8th, 2025 at 5:45 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.