By Jamal Syed, HEXstream CEO 

There has never been greater need for smart operational analytics. 

Modern utilities are increasingly complex entities, with more distributed assets, more sensors emitting data from every piece of equipment, and more customers and regulators expecting optimal performance (and monitoring all activities to ensure that performance gets delivered). Simultaneously, the conditions in which utilities’ assets and work crews must perform are increasingly harsh–think extreme weather scenarios and remote environments. 

It is with these unprecedented challenges in mind that we offer Utility360, a suite of real-time analytics that puts critical data at decision-makers’ fingertips. It is tailored to utility-specific needs and creates an integrated, unique "one data" view across all critical operational systems. 

In this era of increasingly turbulent weather conditions, real-time analytics are increasingly important, enabling smarter mission-critical, time-critical decisions, particularly during outages. We cannot rely on siloed data during these crises–we require live updates (from AMI data to asset-health information) to conduct proper damage assessments and generate accurate ETRs, assign correct truck rolls, and provide customers with complete updates. 

These capabilities are more important than ever. Utilities cannot have lags between their operational data and their downstream applications. They must have synchronized data distribution across mission-critical applications to create a single-source-of-truth. There can be no discrepancies between what is actually happening during outages and the updates to customers. 

We have access to unprecedented levels of operational data. This is a good thing. Utilities, frankly, are not using this data to its full potential. This can easily be changed. With a robust analytics platform like Utility360, the wealth of data can be utilized to mine actionable insights to support just-in-time decisions.