5.3 ERMUSR 2-11-2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MMPA Hometown Solar Grant Staff worked with the City, Energy City Commission, and MMPA to install a 5 kW solar photovoltaic array at City Hall. The purpose of the Hometown Solar Grant installation is to provide our community with an educational asset to teach people how sunlight is converted into electricity and the unique generation characteristics of solar power. This was a great addition to the community and another demonstration site for Minnesotas designated Energy City. Theme 4: Technology Implement the prudent use of technology to improve efficiency and increase customer choice, communication, and value. ESRI GIS Mapping Over the past few years ERMU has made significant progress in transitioning from AutoCAD (CAD) maps to an ESRI ArcGIS (GIS)geospatial database. Most of this progress can be directly attributed to the 2016 decision to hire a full-time GIS/Mapping Technician. While the water model was initially constructed in 2015 by an outside vendor who collected GPS data for hydrants and valves, the electric model was built inhouse with minimal outside help and has proven to be a substantially more time- consuming project to update. To assist in this process, locators collect, record, and GPS electrical equipment data utilizing iPads with ESRIs Collector app and a Trimble R1 GPS receiver. We have been able to maintain the highest accuracy of data. This data collection equipment has also been utilized by the lineworkers and the water department to further enhance the accuracy of the data within the electric and water models. With the recent purchase of ESRI Enterprise Agreement, the goal to transition field staff entirely to GIS can now be accomplished through Portal for ArcGIS on a web- based application in 2020. The next phase of the project will integrate the GIS models with NISC software databases to provide additional map functionality and efficiencies as well as make GIS data available to all ERMU employees. The future roadmap will include transitioning from a geometric network to ArcGIS Utility Network which is the next evolution of GIS. Cyber & Physical Security and IT/OT Support The background: Staff has worked with the city and a third-party consultant to evaluate cyber and physical security for ERMU and the city. A joint committee was created. A small work group with the third-party consultant developed the framework for a comprehensive cyber, physical, and information security policy. Progress stopped when the refinement of those policies exceeded staff resources. The initiative was tabled until the budgeted ERMU Operational Technology Supervisor was hired. ERMU was unable to fill the position and so the position was reworked and posted, but again ERMU was unsuccessful in filling the position. The W&BC reviewed the position and the core needs. Numerous other initiatives have this initiative as a prerequisite. Filling this position and reactivating the cyber and physical security initiative is a high priority for 2020. NISC Module Integration There are many modules in NISC that staff is exploring including: Meter Data Management System (MDMS) which is required to implement Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), Outage Management Systems (OMS), Mobile ______________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 9 88