Athens, Alabama Gas Department Implements Trimble’s Network Management System for Natural Gas Utilities

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 24, 2016—Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today that the Athens, Alabama Gas Department has deployed Trimble’s Network Information System (NIS) for natural gas utility network planning, design, operations and maintenance management. Trimble NIS features an innovative network model for managing key system data, assets and supports related business processes such as system measurement, capital improvement planning, regulatory compliance and customer service. Trimble NIS’ comprehensive network modeling and editing capabilities can enable natural gas and electric utilities to optimize the performance of their network and achieve planning and operational excellence.
"When it came to moving to a new system for managing our gas distribution network, Trimble NIS became a clear option for us."
​Steve Carter
Manager, Athens Gas Department
“Trimble NIS will touch most areas of our business,” said Steve Carter, manager, Athens Gas Department. “This not only includes operations and maintenance, which people normally associate with other information systems, but it also includes measurement, capital improvement planning and customer service. NIS will also play an important role as part of our regulatory compliance programs.”

The innovative features and capabilities that are offered with the Trimble NIS system, including the ability to use the application for gas distribution network management from both the back office and in the field, were important factors in Athens Gas Department’s decision to advance to the new Trimble system.
“We consider almost our entire workforce to be mobile,” said Carter. “In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency you may have employees who normally work in the office end up working in the field or from a remote location. We will depend on a system like Trimble NIS to not only work for us in the office, but more importantly in the field.”
We will depend on a system like Trimble NIS to not only for work for us in the office, but more importantly in the field.
​Steve Carter, Manager, Athens Gas Department
Trimble NIS includes core functionality for documenting, editing and managing network assets, as well as viewing gas or electric networks and assets on common background maps and field modules. Trimble NIS also features advanced search functionality for pinpointing network assets, objects and features along with customer information in a spatially aware and modular platform that allows for easy integration with other utility information systems. Athens Gas Department plans to interface the Trimble NIS system with their customer information system (CIS), Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) system and Esri geodatabase, leveraging the investment already made in their existing back-office systems.
 
“As a forward-thinking gas utility, Athens Gas sees the value and benefits that go along with the Trimble NIS system, especially the solution’s capabilities around network planning, operations optimization, maintenance management, regulatory compliance and more,” said Ben Mallen, business area director for Trimble Energy Americas Division. “The support of a dedicated Trimble professional services project team ensured that the NIS system was implemented in a timely and productive manner.”

Why Trimble NIS for Gas Utilities?

  • Forward-looking, intelligent modeling for managing the key data of gas and electric networks and related business processes
  • Reliable and easy management and storage of asset data in one system for entire network lifecycle management
  • Significant efficiency improvements in network asset and utility management processes
  • Versatile support for strategic planning and decision-making
  • Secure and effective access for external users such as contractors