From 1940s Drawings to Real-Time Transmission Visibility

A Case Study in Turning Legacy Records into Faster Decisions and Stronger Field Readiness

SUMMARY

A large Pacific Northwest utility brought Tamazari in to support a major Transmission GIS modernization initiative focused on one urgent goal: making transmission asset information easier to find, trust, and use. The work transformed decades of legacy transmission line drawings, some dating back to the 1940s, into a standardized digital foundation connected across SAP, Smallworld GIS, Esri, and Tenzing.

At its core, this was more than a data cleanup project. It was a grid modernization effort designed to improve visibility, accelerate decision-making, and provide faster access to the critical infrastructure information. For utilities, that kind of access is vital. It supports safer field work, stronger emergency response, better asset management, and ultimately, more reliable service for the communities that depend on the grid every day.

CLIENT BACKGROUND

The client operates a large transmission network with hundreds of transmission lines and decades of supporting engineering records. Like many established utilities, the organization had built and maintained critical infrastructure over generations, but the digital record of that infrastructure hadn't kept up with the operational demands of a modern grid.

SAP was intended to serve as the main reference for asset information, but only a small portion of the necessary transmission data was available in the system. Much of the remaining information lived in older drawings, warehouse records, manual workflows, and disconnected formats. As a result, it was difficult for teams to quickly understand what assets existed, where they were located, and how they were configured.

CHALLENGE

The utility needed a more reliable way to manage and access transmission asset data. Without accurate and standardized drawings in a digitized format, teams had limited visibility into key transmission assets and attributes. That made it harder to analyze information, generate insights, maintain control, and support operational decisions with confidence.

The existing process also created delays. When someone needed a drawing record, they often had to move through a manual workflow involving emails, requests, drawing numbers, sheet references, and turnaround time from other teams. In a routine planning environment, that kind of delay slows productivity. In an outage, storm restoration, or emergency response scenario, it can affect how quickly teams understand the field condition and act.

The larger issue was foundational. The utility needed to know what it had, where it was, and how to make that information available across the systems and teams that keep the grid running.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

• Digitize and standardize legacy transmission line drawings, including records dating back to the 1940s.

• Improve the completeness, quality, and usability of transmission asset data.

• Enable data flow from SAP into Smallworld GIS and downstream systems.

• Make transmission drawings easier to access through Esri and Tenzing.

• Reduce manual drawing request workflows and improve turnaround time.

• Create a stronger data foundation for engineering, operations, field work, emergency response, and vendor coordination.

• Support long-term asset visibility, control, and operational readiness across the transmission network.

  
  

SOLUTION

Tamazari supported a large-scale Transmission GIS transformation built around three major workstreams: as-built records, SAP, and GIS. The as-built workstream focused on CAD drawing edits, asset information updates, and the creation of PDF drawing records. The SAP and GIS workstreams focused on improving asset data quality and making that data usable across the utility’s connected operating systems.

The solution treated transmission data as a living operational asset. SAP served as the source of truth, with data flowing into Smallworld GIS and then into downstream systems such as Esri and Tenzing. Esri provided online access to maps and records, while Tenzing, a field mobility platform, supported offline access for field users who need information outside of a traditional office environment.

This system architecture helped move the utility away from fragmented records and toward a more connected, self-service model. Instead of depending on manual handoffs to locate drawings, users could access drawing links directly through the tools they already used.

IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation required close coordination between Tamazari, internal utility teams, and vendor partners. Legacy transmission drawings were reviewed, digitized, and used to populate structured data. From there, line data sets were created one transmission line at a time and migrated into SAP and GIS.

That process was repeated across the utility’s 229 transmission lines. The work required careful data handling, system coordination, stakeholder alignment, and quality review. As the project advanced, tools were built, data was populated, and the transmission record environment became more accessible and standardized.

A critical part of implementation was keeping SAP and GIS aligned. Because SAP functioned as the foundational layer, corrections and updates needed to flow properly into Smallworld GIS and downstream systems. That synchronization helped ensure that asset records, map data, and field-facing information could support the same operational picture.

RESULTS

The project gave the utility a stronger digital foundation for transmission asset management. Teams gained faster access to transmission drawings through direct links in Esri and Tenzing, reducing the need for manual email-based requests and long turnaround times. What had previously required searching, requesting, waiting, and routing could now happen through an immediate self-service experience.

The benefits reached multiple business functions. Engineers gained better access to accurate transmission records. Operators gained improved visibility into asset information. Field teams gained easier access to maps and drawings. Emergency response and storm restoration teams benefited from being able to locate critical information quickly.

The work also improved coordination with external partners. Cable services teams, pole services teams, and vendors could be supported with more consistent and accessible transmission data. That kind of shared visibility helps utilities work efficiently across the many groups involved in maintaining and supporting the grid.

LONG-TERM VALUE

The long-term value of this project is the creation of a trusted transmission data foundation. For utilities, modernization does not start only with new infrastructure. It starts with knowing what exists, where it is, and how accurate that information is across the systems people use every day.

By digitizing legacy drawings, improving asset data quality, and connecting SAP, Smallworld GIS, Esri, and Tenzing, the utility is now better positioned to manage transmission infrastructure with greater speed and confidence. This fosters better planning, faster response, safer field operations, and stronger decision-making.

Most importantly, this work supports the larger public purpose of utility transformation. Communities depend on transmission infrastructure for reliable power, economic stability, emergency response, and everyday life. When utilities improve the data behind that infrastructure, they are not just modernizing internal systems. They are strengthening the operational backbone that helps keep people safe, connected, and served.

KEY LEARNINGS

• Transmission modernization depends on data quality. Digitizing records is important, but the greater value comes from making the data accurate, structured, and usable.

• SAP governance matters. When SAP is the source of truth, update processes, correction workflows, and system synchronization need to be clearly defined.

• Self-service access creates real operational value.

• Data remediation should be treated as ongoing work. Even after a large migration, some gaps will remain and should be managed through continuous improvement.