Transpower

Date: 25 August 2009

In its role as System Operator, Transpower manages the real-time operation of New Zealand's electricity system. The System Operator also manages the wholesale electricity market. Transpower does not own the electricity but provides a co-ordination service to the electricity industry whereby it schedules the production of electricity from all power stations, monitors the entire network and ensures the security of the New Zealand electricity system.

Transpower's spatial information is not integrated at the moment but Transpower are in final stages of a business case for enterprise-wide GIS similar in approach to Watercare. Current application of spatial information and technology is focused on project specific applications such as LiDAR for asset design and vegetation mapping and cadastral data for stakeholder management.

A Transpower subsidiary currently provides GIS services (develops maps, etc.), but again on a task specific basis rather than in an integrated fashion. It was also noted that much of the data sits with contractors - they do the maintenance and identify forward programme, as there is not necessarily an immediate need to hold the data with Transpower.

Transpower stated that accurate LiDAR data are invaluable for the design of assets.

This case study has been taken from the Spatial Information in the New Zealand Economy - Realising Productivity Gains report, August 2009.