GIS solutions for electricity networks and street lighting

Centralise, improve the reliability of and use geographic data for your HV, MV and LV electricity networks and your street lighting networks. From field data collection to compliance checks, a structured GIS platform improves asset knowledge, construction monitoring, maintenance and decision-making.

Explore some use cases for our solutions dedicated to electricity networks and street lighting

Why is geospatial data critical for electricity networks?

Electricity infrastructure, as priority networks, has characteristics that make data management particularly demanding.

GIS data is more than a plan: it is the common foundation for operating, maintaining and safeguarding networks and planning investment.

Data therefore becomes the common foundation for:

  • Extensive assets spread across the territory
  • Underground or overhead assets, sometimes difficult to access
  • Management often involving multiple stakeholders (surveyors, engineering consultancies, construction companies, local authorities, operators)
  • Safety, compliance and traceability requirements

The main operational challenges
(and their impacts)

Continuous field data collection: the source of truth

Field feedback is often the main reason data becomes outdated:

  • changes after construction work
  • equipment replacements
  • new assets not incorporated

Objective:

Capture updates as close to the field as possible, with input validation in the mobile application ConnectField

Interoperability: avoiding silos

Electricity data rarely lives in a single system:

  • GIS
  • Web GIS / management portal
  • CMMS / maintenance
  • service providers’ tools

Objective:

Transform your CAD (DWG) data into StaR-Elec GIS data with ConnectControl and ConnectServices.

Data reliability and completeness

Incorrect data leads to:

  • location errors
  • uncertainty about the type of assets
  • less reliable operational decisions

Objective:

Close the gap between field conditions and GIS and ensure a usable asset database by connecting ConnectField and ConnectServices.

Traceability: who changed what, when and why

Traceability becomes essential for:

  • audits
  • contract management
  • service continuity
  • accountability

Objective:

Keep a history of changes and document decisions in ConnectServices.

Reliable data for electricity network management

RecoStar: checking as-built data

RecoStar formalises the rules for checking as-built deliverables. It helps verify data structure, completeness and consistency before integration into the GIS repository.

Key benefit:

Data shared on a clear, defined basis becomes a clear contractual deliverable, reducing ambiguity and rework.

Star-Elec: structuring electricity network data

Star-Elec is a data model intended to harmonise the description of electrical assets. It facilitates exchanges between stakeholders, GIS integration and consistent use of asset data.

Key benefit:

Data that is understandable, usable and comparable from one project to another.

Support the adoption of standards with relevant specialist solutions

Defining and adopting standards is not enough. Putting them into practice requires GIS tools designed for operational needs:

  • in the field (data collection and assessment, updates at each project stage)
  • in the office (quality checks, validation, analysis)
  • when sharing data (visualisation, management)

Conclusion:

The standard defines what; relevant GIS tools make the how possible in everyday work.

GIS use cases for electricity networks

Electricity infrastructure audits

A complete solution — mobile application and Web GIS — to save time and improve reliability

Construction monitoring and operational quality control

A GIS software suite to structure your data and monitor network deployment work

Electricity network design and data editing

Take control of your infrastructure data from network design through to operation

Planning field operations on electricity networks

Plan and monitor your field operations: construction, audits, maintenance, connections…

Managing snagging resolution in the electricity sector

Track construction acceptance and the resolution of outstanding items accurately

Class A as-built surveys for your electricity networks

Centimetre accuracy with ConnectField for your Class A as-built surveys

Data quality control and StarElec compliance

A complete software suite to turn your data into a basis for decisions

Data validation at the end of construction

Manage construction work and monitor data quality and RecoStar compliance

A GIS software suite supporting electricity networks and street lighting

Collect

Collect and update field data, including for as-built surveys and asset audits.

Use

Centralise data, monitor construction work and share a Web GIS repository between teams and partners.

Check

Automate quality checks and verify deliverable compliance, particularly with Star-Elec and RecoStar.

Query

Query operational data in natural language to quickly access useful information and facilitate analysis.

Turn your electricity network data into a reliable, usable repository

Discuss your needs with our experts to define the scope of data collection, structuring, quality control and use for electricity networks.

FAQ — GIS, StaR-Elec and RécoStar for electricity networks

Why use a GIS to manage an electricity network?

A GIS centralises the location and characteristics of electrical assets in a shared environment. It improves asset knowledge, facilitates preparation for field operations and construction monitoring, and helps keep data reliable and up to date.

What is the difference between a GIS and a Web GIS for electricity networks?

A GIS enables geographic data production and analysis. A Web GIS makes this data accessible in a browser so it can be viewed, shared and updated according to each user’s permissions.

How does data quality affect electricity network operations?

Complete, consistent and up-to-date data reduces location errors, makes field operations safer and makes asset analysis more reliable. Poor data quality, by contrast, weakens the entire operational workflow.

How do you update the GIS after electrical construction work?

Data is collected in the field, checked against the required rules, then integrated and centralised in ConnectServices. This workflow preserves its history and provides teams with reliable, up-to-date information.

What is the Star-Elec standard?

Star-Elec is an exchange model that harmonises the structure and description of electricity network data. It facilitates data checking, integration and reuse in GIS tools.

What is RecoStar used for?

RecoStar checks as-built deliverables before acceptance and integration into the GIS. In particular, it verifies the structure, completeness and consistency of the data submitted.

Are Star-Elec and RecoStar mandatory?

Their application depends on the contractual framework and the network manager’s requirements. They nevertheless provide useful references for standardising exchanges and assessing quality checks objectively.

Does a standard alone guarantee data quality?

No. A standard defines a common structure and rules, but quality also depends on collection, the checks performed, data governance and regular updates.

Why automate electricity data quality control?

Automation applies the same rules to every delivery, detects anomalies faster and produces traceable results. Teams can then focus their expertise on corrections and operational decisions.

Why choose a specialist solution rather than an open-source solution to manage electricity network data?

A specialist solution provides more than GIS tools suited to electricity networks. It also comes with technical support, regular updates, ongoing maintenance and support for deployment and evolving uses. The organisation therefore has an identified point of contact able to safeguard the solution, facilitate its integration into the information system and respond quickly when difficulties arise.

Are Dotic solutions suitable for HV, MV and LV electricity networks?

Yes. Workflows, forms, validation rules and interfaces can be configured to suit each manager’s assets, processes and requirements.

Who are Dotic solutions for in the electricity sector?

These solutions are intended for network managers, local authorities, intermunicipal energy associations, engineering consultancies, construction companies and operators of electricity or street lighting networks.

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