Case Study
Optimizing Utility Operations
A Washington Public Utility Company strategically implemented PARCview and dataPARC Historian to optimize operations, utilizing real-time data monitoring and streamlined consolidation processes.
Introduction
As the demand for critical services increases, Public Utility Companies face challenges in managing and analyzing data efficiently. This case study explores how the implementation of PARCview, coupled with the dataPARC Historian, addressed these challenges and contributed to operational improvements at a Washington State Public Utility Company.
“PARCview’s ability to consolidate data from multiple sources into a single interface streamlined data management and provided enhanced visibility and accessibility to all users who needed it.”
Initial Challenges
The utility company identified several challenges that prompted the consideration of dataPARC:
- Limited visibility into real-time energy meter data.
- Manual consolidation of data received via email for comparison with energy meter readings.
- Dependence on Excel for trend analysis and aggregation.
PARCview has ensured swift and direct access to data while reducing reliance on external support.
dataPARC Solutions
Real-time Energy Meter Data Monitoring:
PARCview enhanced real-time monitoring of energy meter data by establishing a direct database (DB) connection. The integrated alarm system enables swift responses to fluctuations and offers additional functionalities, such as email notifications.
Data Integration:
By leveraging the dataPARC Historian and PARCview data integration, the need for receiving data via email was successfully eliminated. Now, this integrated data is seamlessly included alongside energy meter data, is easily trendable within PARCview, enhancing the overall functionality of the platform.
Reduced Manual Effort and Dependence on Excel:
The labor-intensive task of creating trends and aggregates in Excel was eliminated, significantly enhancing efficiency and minimizing the risk of errors. Additionally, it’s worth noting that PARCview offers an Excel add-in for users seeking to pull in data, providing a more efficient and integrated alternative.

Real-Time Energy Distribution Insights
This graphic illustrates the total load versus non-industry load at the top, and detailed load distribution by industry at the bottom, enabling rapid response and adjustment in case of industry-specific outages or demand changes.
Other Beneficial Outcomes of PARCview
PARCview’s visualization tools and features proved instrumental in enhancing operational capabilities.
Trending:
The robust trending feature empowered the team to not only analyze historical data trends and identify patterns but also facilitate swift and informed decision-making. Additionally, to ensure rapid calculations, innovative tag switches are applied at the end of tags for aggregates using the rollup server. With this approach, our trends deliver data at the speed of thought, enhancing the immediacy and accuracy of insights
Data Consolidation and Centralized Interface:
PARCview’s ability to consolidate data from multiple sources into a single interface streamlined data management and provided enhanced visibility and accessibility to all users who needed it.
Empowering Teams with Self-sufficiency:
Empowering team members with training to independently add extra meter tags to PARCview has not only diminished reliance on external support but has also ensured swift and direct access to data. In addition to training, resources like tutorials, a comprehensive help manual, and the active dataPARC community forum further facilitate ongoing education and support for continuous improvement.
Next Steps
Dashboards:
Future developments include creation and utilization of dashboards within PARCview, offering a consolidated and visually intuitive representation of key metrics for quicker decision-making.
Weather Data Integration:
Integration of weather data from weather.gov as a new data source within PARCview. This aims to correlate weather patterns with pricing and energy meter data.
Direct DB Connection:
Plans to establish a direct DB connection for data currently transferred via files, further streamlining data transfer processes and enhancing overall data integrity.
Conclusion
The implementation of PARCview and dataPARC Historian has proven to be a transformative step for this Utility Company. Real-time monitoring, streamlined data consolidation, and the integration of additional data sources have significantly improved operational efficiency. With future expansions and optimizations planned, PARCview continues to play a pivotal role in enhancing the company’s ability to deliver reliable and efficient utility services to its customers.
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Optimizing Utility Operations Case Study
Download the case study to see how dataPARC helped a Washington Public Utility Company optimize operations, utilizing real-time data monitoring and streamlined consolidation processes.
