Our client, a major combined utility, is implementing an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) to move from four separate distribution operations systems to one platform. The goal is to increase operational efficiency, enhance cybersecurity, and prepare for future integration with distributed energy resources (DERs).

The utility’s large service territory and customer base meant they were saturated with SCADA devices. They wanted to become more consistent across their control rooms to enhance safety and reliability and have better transparency into their assets.

Mosaic was hired for our extensive experience in the control room and with Schneider Electric ADMS. Our industry experts bring vast experience and lessons learned from utility careers as control room operators and engineers and consulting on various ADMS projects across the United States and Canada. Our teams advise on technical configuration decisions, business process design, end-user adoption, and technical support and testing across all the ADMS systems and various operating models.

Mosaic provided the following services:

• Training development and delivery for distribution operators, engineers, field technicians, and network modelers.
• Post-go live support for end users and support functions.
• User acceptance testing (UAT), system integration testing (SIT), and configuration support.

Mosaic also led change management efforts to enhance awareness and buy-in from operations stakeholders. Mosaic’s industry experts conducted focus group-style control room visits to provide hands-on experience and explain the new operating system. Giving operators a voice during the development process, a vision of what the future will look like, a forum to ask questions, and the opportunity to see and experience the system built much trust.

Using the feedback from these focus groups, Mosaic worked with the ADMS project team to implement design changes to the system. The changes resulted in greater buy-in from end users, resulting in more efficient training and better operational adoption of the new system.

Mosaic continues to provide services to this client for the next ADMS release, including advisory services, as-is business process mapping, future state business process design, technical configuration, point-to-point testing support, training development and delivery, and change management.