eReliability Tracker
The eReliability Tracker is an affordable, easy-to-use mobile-friendly web-based service that provides public power utilities with an effective way to collect, categorize, and summarize outage information. Although the application is part of an effort to provide an economical service, it is our intent to provide a sophisticated tool without sacrificing affordability. Users can run in system reports to view a monthly snapshot of their utility’s reliability performance, identify problem areas and common outage causes, and calculate IEEE 1366 reliability indices.
How does the eReliability Tracker work?
The eReliability Tracker is a web-based application. If you have internet access and a web browser, you can access the service. The tracker prides itself on ease of use and the simplification of its core features. Users enter their outages through the web application via their computer's browser and can easily refer back to their data at any time.
Some of the core features include recording outage information, importing large sets of outage data via a CSV spreadsheet, in system IEEE 1366 statistic reporting, and an annual benchmarking report that analyzes aggregate data and compares utilities by customer size, geographic region and outage type. Users can also run in system reports to view a monthly snapshot of their utility’s reliability performance, identify problem areas and common outage causes, and apply a monetary value to power interruptions (Interruption Cost Estimator (ICE) report).
Users can also auto-magically push their Outage Management System (OMS) data directly from one system to the next. Application programming interface (API) allows the eReliability Tracker to send and receive outage data with utility OMS systems. Working with your OMS vendor, you can now securely pass your utility’s outage data to the eReliability Tracker without the additional manual effort of entering outages into both systems separately. OMS vendors that have successfully integrated to the eReliability Tracker system include DataVoice International and mPower Innovations. View the documentation on API-OMS Integration.
Since the implementation of ICE report and API-OMS Integration capability, APPA has provided subscriber utilities the opportunity to vote on the features developed to further enhance the capabilities of the system. This approach gives utilities access to an advanced software resource to perform the analyses that fit their specific utility needs, which may not have been possible without this DEED-funded program.
A new feature that was recently developed provide users the flexibility to exclude non-reportable outages from any outage-related reports when recording outage data and to use the system more like an outage notes system.
Certificate of Excellence in Reliability
Every year, the American Public Power Association recognizes certain utilities that subscribe to the eReliability Tracker for excellence in reliability. Recipients are determined by comparing their reliability data with the national reliability data published by the Energy Information Administration. To receive a certificate, the utility must be in the first quartile of utilities for System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) based on the EIA data.
In 2022, we awarded 199 public power utilities for their excellent 2021 reliability records. View the list of 2021 awardees.
Subscriptions
The feedback the reliability team first received on this software made it apparent that there is a significant public power utility benefit in continuing to improve a software that sufficiently meets user needs at an affordable cost. Purchase a subscription to the tracker on our product store.
Three year subscription
- DEED member: $680 ($226.67/year)
- Association member $875 ($291.67/year)
- Nonmember: $1,134 ($378/year)
One year subscription
- DEED member: $252
- Association member: $324
- Nonmember: $420
If you are a multi-utility organization, joint action agency, or state association and would like to provide the eReliability Tracker to your members, email [email protected] to discuss discounted pricing options.
Why do I need the eReliability Tracker?
Analyzing distribution system reliability is critically important for all utilities, especially those in public power, whose customers are their owners. However, the funding available for many public power utilities to spend on sophisticated software systems is insufficient to keep up with the evolving set of industry leading practices.
The eReliability Tracker provides an easy-to-use software that meets the needs of public power utilities without over complicating electronic outage tracking.
Walkthroughs
If you are interested in the tracker, we would be happy to set up a webinar to host a walk through of the system. Walkthroughs are normally under an hour in time, and we usually provide the option to test the tracker for two weeks if there is still an expressed interest.
If you are interested in a walkthrough, please email [email protected].