In this blog post, we will explore the 6 best GADS tools that help generators simplify and optimize their reporting efforts.
GADS reporting plays a crucial role in maintaining grid reliability and compliance with industry regulations. However, manual data collection and reporting can be time-consuming and prone to errors. That’s where these GADS tools come in.
By automating data collection, validation, and report generation, these tools ensure accuracy, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
Let’s get right into it
Table of contents
- PowerGADS by Integ Enterprise Consulting
- GADS Open Source
- PCI Outage Management
- MCG’s Versify Outage Management System
- PowerManager by Integ Enterprise Consulting
1. PowerGADS by Integ Enterprise Consulting
PowerGADS is a comprehensive solution that simplifies NERC GADS Reporting and Management. It can fully automate the creation of event and performance data from PI/SCADA systems.
Users can access 50+ reports and dashboards or create their own using ad-hoc reporting. Advanced analytics with AI/ML provide insights into preventive maintenance, scheduling outages, and improving asset reliability and performance in various areas.
Features
- Automated Event and Performance Creation: The system automatically connects to your PI/SCADA data or any other interface and fully automates the creation of event data.
- 50+ Reports and Dashboards: Users can access 50+ reports and dashboards for detailed analytics.
- Ad-hoc Report and Dashboard Creation: Users can create their own reports and dashboards.
- Advanced Analytics and Machine Learning: The software provides insights into preventive maintenance, scheduling outages, and improving asset reliability and performance in various areas.
The software is best suited for utilities and generators, as well as ISO/RTO’s. It helps in automating the collection and reporting of power plant performance data, ensuring precision, reliability, and compliance with NERC standards. With PowerGADS, businesses can focus more on their core operations, with the confidence that their GADS reporting is accurate and timely.
2. GADS Open Source
The GADS Open Source is a set of free and open source software tools licensed under the GNU General Public License Version 2 (GNU GPL or simply GPL), which is the most widely used free software license.
It gives generating companies tools to take control of their mandatory GADS reporting to NERC and the various ISOs.
Features
- GADS/OS Data Entry: It allows you to collect and report validated GADS performance data and event data in standard formats required by NERC GADS and all major ISOs.
- GADS/OS Analysis & Reporting: This feature allows you to calculate industry-standard performance measures for reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) assessments and key performance indicators (KPIs) using the GADS data for your generating units.
- User Interface: The user interface is available in both English and Spanish.
- Compatibility: The software is compatible with both the 32-bit and the 64-bit Windows operating systems.
The software is best suited for generating companies to take control of their mandatory GADS reporting to NERC and the various ISOs. It also helps in making data-driven decisions by getting data in the hands of the right person at the right time.
3. PCI Outage Management
The PCI Generation Outage Management System is a comprehensive solution designed to simplify and automate the outage management process. It quickly coordinates real-time generation outages, conducts long-term outage planning, and configures workflows to streamline operations.
The system is built to simplify and modernize outage processes, making them transparent to plant operators, easy to track and audit, and sustainable by your organization for the long term.
Features
- Automated Event and Performance Creation: The system automatically connects to your PI/SCADA data or any other interface and fully automates the creation of event data.
- Real-Time Outage Management: The system automatically recognizes when an outage or AVR/PSS event is occurring through PI/SCADA integration and automatically creates an accurate ticket with all the key ISO information for operators to review and submit with only one click.
- Improved Planning: It allows users to visually plan and review operational & long-term outages, validate outage overlaps, create and enforce business rules, and easily record operating events for anytime-access and auditing.
The software is best suited for utilities and generators, as well as ISO/RTO’s. It helps in automating the collection and reporting of power plant performance data, ensuring precision, reliability, and compliance with NERC standards. With the PCI Outage Management System, businesses can focus more on their core operations, with the confidence that their outage management is accurate and timely.
4. MCG’s Versify Outage Management System
It is an outage management platform. It provides features and functionality to manage outage tickets across the entire lifecycle, including execution and coordination activities with field operators and ISO/RTOs.
The software is designed to work within your existing systems and infrastructure to help you see and manage available generation and transmission capacity.
Features
- Optimized Outage Lifecycle Management: It facilitates planning with outage listing, calendar, and Gantt time-based views.
- Integrated NERC GADS/TADS Management and Reporting: It provides outage ticket views of history, overlapping events, and availability charting.
- Automated Approval/Submission Processes: This feature helps to remain compliant with reporting deadlines.
The software is best suited for transmission, distribution, and generation personnel to coordinate all activities for outage scheduling and management based on their business processes.
5. PowerManager by Integ Enterprise Consulting
This tool is a comprehensive outage management software. It allows companies to manage their entire real-time (forced), planned, and maintenance outage process.
The system integrates with every ISO/RTO in the US and Canada and one system can also be used for multiple ISO/RTO.
PowerManager reduces manual work by 60% by automating workflows, outages, limits, logs, and parameters. It combines all plant outage events, dispatch instructions, event logs, unit capabilities, limits/ambient conditions, and reporting into one unified, simplified solution.
Features
- Automated Notification and Workflow: It automates, manages, and streamlines all the workflow, tasks, and notifications between plants, ISO and dispatch/Central desk.
- Automated Event and Performance Creation: The system automatically connects to your PI/SCADA data or any other interface and fully automates the creation of event data.
- 50+ Reports and Dashboards: Users can access 50+ reports and dashboards for detailed analytics.
- Real-Time Outage Management: The system automatically recognizes when an outage or AVR/PSS event is occurring through PI/SCADA integration and automatically creates an accurate ticket with all the key ISO information for operators to review and submit with only one click.
The software is best suited for utilities and generators, as well as ISO/RTO’s. It helps in automating the collection and reporting of power plant performance data, ensuring precision, reliability, and compliance with NERC standards.
In conclusion, the GADS tools – PowerGADS by Integ Enterprise Consulting, GADS Open Source, PCI Outage Management, MCG’s Versify Outage Management System, and PowerManager by Integ Enterprise Consulting – offer comprehensive solutions for efficient and accurate GADS reporting.
These tools automate data collection, validation, and report generation, thus ensuring compliance with NERC standards and improving reliability and performance in various areas.
Each tool offers unique features like advanced analytics, user-friendly interfaces, and compatibility with various systems, catering to different needs of utilities, generators, and ISO/RTOs.
By leveraging these tools, operators can significantly reduce manual work, enhance decision-making through real-time data analysis, and focus more on core operations, knowing that their GADS reporting is precise, reliable, and timely.
