Autodesk, Inc. has announced the availability of Autodesk Topobase Electric software, a new infrastructure management solution designed to help North American electric utilities better manage their transmission and distribution networks, by integrating design and facility asset information. Topobase Electric joins Autodesk’s portfolio of utilities solutions, including Topobase Gas, Water and Wastewater, and Autodesk Utility Design.
"Topobase Electric delivers an off-the-shelf, configurable solution that utilities can implement quickly to achieve operational excellence and maximize the value of their data,” notes Lisa Campbell, vice president, Autodesk Geospatial. “Now utilities that offer multiple services like electricity, gas, water and wastewater can benefit from a consistent solution for mapping and asset management.”
The Topobase Electric technology features data models, business rules and workflows that reflect the electric industry’s unique data, process and regulatory standards. The product builds standardization into the asset management process, improving inefficient operations and data quality. For example, Topobase provides unique tools to visualize and manage underground assets, improving the quality of as-built documentation and enabling field workers to understand what is under the ground before they dig. Topobase Electric also keeps track of network connectivity, allowing a maintenance manager to identify and notify customers impacted in advance of a planned event. This built-in industry intelligence enables utilities to realize a more rapid return on investment.
A recent white paper by IDC commissioned by Autodesk found that the average Topobase utility customer can expect a return on investment of 518 percent in the first three years of implementation. The Topobase customers interviewed by IDC realized total annual benefits averaging $2.9 million per hundred users as a result of increases in user productivity and overall operational cost savings.
