Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is providing Canadian utility Hydro One Networks
Inc. with an analytics solution to improve how the utility plans
investments in its transmission
and distribution assets. The asset analytics solution uses a
risk-based approach to prioritize capital and maintenance expenditures,
which will help Hydro One manage and identify operations, maintenance
and administration requirements.
Accenture is helping Hydro One to access and integrate historical asset
data and information from multiple databases and business applications
that were either inaccessible or not integrated into the utility’s
information technology and operations technology networks. With the
implementation of the asset
analytics solution, the utility’s asset management, engineering and
planning workforces will have information on the performance of
transmission and distribution assets that is time-based and locational.
By pulling together the data and information, Hydro One expects to have
both improved data quality and advanced predictive analysis capabilities
to define the requirements and forecast expenditures needed to maintain
the electrical grid at an optimal level.
Hydro One anticipates that, when the analytics solution is fully
deployed, it will use data that can be combined with other statistical
modeling, forecasting and optimization techniques to enable the utility
to better anticipate its grid performance. Its managers will be able to
access integrated asset information to help them further identify and
plan for short- and long-term investment scenarios and deliver
performance outcomes that mitigate power system and on-going investment
risk.
“Our ratepayers expect us to get the most out of our assets and
Accenture is helping us do exactly that,” said Rick Stevens, Vice
President – Asset Management at Hydro One Networks. “We chose Accenture
because they have significant experience with Hydro One’s business
processes and IT systems, as well as SAP, enterprise asset management
and ERP solutions. They also have a track record of successful delivery
along with the skills and people required to deliver on the goals for
this analytics solution.”
The asset analytics solution is based on a SAP BusinessObjects business
intelligence software platform and Space-Time Awareness Server from
Space-Time Insight, a scalable software product that processes data in
real-time.
Brian A. Martin, a managing director with Accentures Utilities industry
group, said, “Accenture is focused on delivering a next-generation asset
analytics solution that will help Hydro One make better-informed
investment decisions and improve its asset management performance
through state-of-the-industry capabilities.”
About Hydro One
Hydro One delivers electricity safely, reliably and responsibly to homes
and businesses across the province of Ontario. It owns and operates
Ontario's 29,000 km high-voltage transmission network that delivers
electricity to large industrial customers and municipal utilities, and a
123,000 km low-voltage distribution system that serves about 1.3 million
end-use customers and smaller municipal utilities in the province. Hydro
One is wholly owned by the Province of Ontario.
About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and
outsourcing company, with 259,000 people serving clients in more than
120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive
capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive
research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture
collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance
businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US
$27.9 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2012. Its home page is www.accenture.com.
