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Educational Sessions

Utility Arborist Association (UAA)

Florida Power & Light's use of GIS Tools and Imagery in Distribution Utility Vegetation Managment
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
12:50 PM — 1:50 PM
Osceola Ballroom B
A, U, M, Bs

Use of GIS land classification techniques and satellite imagery can produce low cost inventory of vegetation under and adjacent to power lines. These spatial vegetation shape files can be deployed within mobile software applications for utility planners and tree crews to plan, execute and report work. Converting existing paper work processes to GIS electronic processes provides benefits to the utility, the line clearing contractor and to electric customers.

Tabular data from the vegetation spatial shape files and work status reporting from tree crews can produce near real time workload and cost forecasting reports, vendor performance reports, customize outreach to external customers and publish a web maps showing areas recently trimmed and areas scheduled to be trimmed. Using GIS tools and imagery to measure linear feet with no vegetation creates work density measures to better measure and manage program effectiveness. For example, measuring the linear feet of Right Tree Right Place plantings within a local government can recognize and reward best planting practices.

Presentation will cover 2013 proof of concept pilot to validate satellite imagery as an accurate tool to measure vegetation, results of 2014 beta test to operationalize Satellite Unit Prescription process for planned maintenance work and 2015 capital investment to expand use of this technology. 

Today, Barry, Chris and Mike will share the growth and future vision for GIS Technology in FPL`s Vegetation Management program. 

Presenter Information

    • Barry Grubb

      Barry Grubb is currently FPL`s West Region Vegetation Management Leader.  Since graduating from Penn State  in 1984, Barry has worked  as a Utility Line Clearance contractor, as a Contract Arborist and  for 24 years driving change with FPL`s VM program.  He is an ISA certified Arborist, Six Sigma Green Belt and is working on his PMP certification. 

      Florida Power & Light Company, Juno Beach, FL, United States
    • Chris Kelly

      Chris Kelly is co-founder and Senior Vice President of Clearion Software, a global leader in software and IT services for the Vegetation Management industry. Clearion is an Esri Gold Partner and, in 2012, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Lewis Tree Service.

      Chris’ career spans 20 years in GIS and Field Operations. He graduated from Georgia Tech and lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife, son, daughter, and two slightly neurotic Boston Terriers.

      Clearion , Atlanta, GA, USA
    • Mike Pordes
      Mike Pordes is a geospatial technology resource working with electric and cable utilities. He has been involved in numerous projects over his 14 year career that involve integrating information for spatial analysis for simple map-centric presentation. For the veg density project he served as a resource helping guide system design and implementation.

      Patrick Engineering, Charlotte, NC, USA