Outage management in ScottishPower

ScottishPower searched for software to enable operating cost reductions, deliverable in "new" very short timescales, so that the company would be well positioned prior to 1998. ENMAC/NEAS, the network management system was purchased by ScottishPower in 1994 and commissioned in December 1995, reducing 3 distribution control rooms into one and fully computerising all the functions required by control engineers in one integrated system. In February 1996, an order was placed with prime contractor Logica UK Ltd to deliver ENMAC/TCS, the TroubleCall software developed by their subcontractor, ASCADA Ltd, and integrate it with the Customer Service Centre TT software and telephony, and the distribution network management system. In October 1996, ENMAC/TCS was installed and operational, 9 months after contract placement. ENMAC/TCS was largely developed within this period, using a rapid application development technique. From October 1996 to the current day, ScottishPower have been gaining operational experience of the delivered system and were the first utility in UK to provide total integration of customers incoming fault calls with the network management system, via TroubleCall. More importantly ENMAC/TCS has been serving customers with timely and useful information concerning faults and restoration times.