Ventyx, an ABB company, has signed a new license agreement with diversified energy company Black Hills Corp. to deploy Ventyx's enterprise asset management (EAM) solution, Ventyx Asset Suite, across the utility's transmission and distribution operations. Black Hills is replacing its myriad existing systems with Asset Suite to modernize and optimize its T&D operations as part of a broad "Utility of the Future" initiative.
"Black Hills is upgrading systems and processes across our operations to fulfill our commitment to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy in a manner that protects the environment, improves customer service and adds value for our shareholders," said Ivan Vancas, VP of Operations Services at Black Hills. "Optimizing our sizable T&D operations, which have grown significantly through acquisition in recent years, is vital to our Utility of the Future initiative. We need business partners who share our vision, understand our unique challenges and offer innovative, scalable solutions that can be expanded as we continue to grow. We feel that Ventyx will be a great partner in this endeavor."
Black Hills will roll out Asset Suite in a phased approach across its gas and electric utility operations serving 777,000 customers in seven states. Standardizing on a single asset management system will enable Black Hills to optimize asset management processes companywide and leverage economies of scale. Black Hills' goal is to provide a full, clear view of the company's vast T&D asset infrastructure and the workforce maintaining it – thereby helping to reduce downtime, extending the operational life of the assets and minimizing the total cost of ownership.
