DTE Energy Company has selected Esri software and support services for its next generation enterprise GIS. The implementation will consolidate DTE's previously disparate electric and gas GIS systems and provide a platform for use of geospatial information for the entire corporation. The selection came after an extensive six-month request for proposals and benchmarking process. Miner and Miner, an Esri Business Partner, will supply its utility applications.

DTE is one of the largest energy businesses in the United States. The Detroit, Michigan-based company is a diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its largest operating units are Detroit Edison, an electric utility serving 2.1 million customers in southeastern Michigan, and MichCon, a natural gas utility serving 1.2 million customers in Michigan.

The multiyear, multiphase implementation is part of DTE's overall corporatewide information technology (IT) and business processes standardization initiative; GIS will provide a digital framework for improved data management, streamlined business processes, and easier access to spatial and tabular information. It will also be integrated with DTE's overall IT infrastructure.

Phase one of the implementation will begin with DTE's electric business, Detroit Edison. This will initially involve the company's engineering and design department and its mapping department with approximately 250 designers utilizing Miner and Miner's ArcFM Designer. Approximately 50 mappers will be performing as-built recording utilizing Miner and Miner's ArcFM software. Eventually, hundreds of mobile workers will use mobile GIS and mobile GIS design tools to streamline their work and provide accurate, timely information to assist in real-time decision making.

Phase two will integrate the gas business of DTE, resulting in one fully integrated, cross functional system for energy distribution.

A host of geoprocessing tools will be used throughout DTE Energy, such as georeferencing, CAD integration, distributed data management, and advanced annotation and labeling. Applications will include asset and facility management, network performance, inspection and maintenance, and more. Mobile GIS will help with field data collection, inspections, and remote data access.

DTE will utilize the entire suite of ArcGIS 9 software, including ArcInfo, ArcEditor, ArcView, ArcIMS, ArcSDE for Oracle, ArcPad, and ArcGIS Publisher. ArcGIS energy data models will also be available to DTE. Miner and Miner software includes ArcFM, ArcFM Viewer, ArcFM Conduit Manager, ArcFM Designer, and ArcFM Network Adapter.

"The capabilities that the new GIS applications offer," says Alan Yonkman, director of DTE's implementation of the new GIS applications, "will allow us to continue our tradition of leveraging geospatial information in our day-to-day operations and for future planning. We are very pleased to be partnering with Esri and Miner and Miner, and we are confident that our combined GIS experience will lead to a successful implementation."

The GIS will integrate with other corporate information systems, such as the company's enterprise, work management, and outage management software. Future applications may include compliance, customer service, marketing, land right-of-way, vegetation management, logistics, and finance.

For more information, contact Jeff Rashid, Esri (e-mail: jrashid@esri.com).