REDLANDS, Ca., May 7, 2004 — CenterPoint Energy has completed its conversion to ESRI’s ArcGIS software and Miner and Miner’s ArcFM software, and a phased rollout is currently under way for gas operations in Minnesota.
Now all CenterPoint Energy gas local distribution companies (LDCs) and the electric distribution company in Houston utilize a single geographic information system (GIS) platform for their business and engineering needs. ESRI provided data conversion services and technical support, while Miner and Miner provided application development and consulting services.
“GIS helps our organization in many different ways,” says Cindi Salas, manager, GIS Business Solutions, CenterPoint Energy. “It’s extensively integrated in our overall business environment. Not only do engineers and operations staff-who are mature GIS users-benefit from the system, but staff in other departments accessing the data and functionality from other systems benefit as well. Many business professionals benefit from GIS without knowing they are using the spatial technology and data.”
CenterPoint Energy serves more than 745,000 customers in over 240 Minnesota communities with natural gas services. Headquarters for operations in Minnesota is in Minneapolis, with 1,500 full- and part-time employees. The company maintains a utility infrastructure that includes more than 11,000 miles of gas main lines and 10,000 miles of gas service lines. The company also provides non-regulated services through its Home Service Plus business, offering a broad range of home services, products, and equipment.
CenterPoint Energy will utilize a suite of ArcGIS software including ESRI’s ArcInfo, ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcSDE. The company will also utilize the ArcFM and Designer software from Miner and Miner.
All GIS users within the various CenterPoint Energy LDCs will utilize the ESRI platform when the phased rollout is complete. Departments such as Engineering, Operations, Survey and Mapping, Land and Right-of-Way, Line Locating, Corporate Communications, Marketing, Environmental, Planning, Dispatching, and more all have the ability to spatially query, analyze, and/or view information. More than 200 database editors work to maintain data for more than 4,500 users.
By utilizing a single, comprehensive enterprise GIS system, users benefit with the most accurate and timely data and applications possible. Cost savings are achieved through streamlined processes, elimination of data and work redundancies, and reduced software maintenance. Other benefits expected include greater productivity, improved interdepartmental and interagency communication, and easier access to information, all in a fully integrated, open, and scalable spatial database environment.
About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution and sales, interstate pipeline and gathering operations, and more than 14,000 megawatts of power generation in Texas, of which nearly 3,000 megawatts are currently in mothball status.
The company serves nearly five million customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total $21 billion. With more than 11,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.
About ESRI
For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI software is used in all 200 of the largest cities in the United States and in more than 60 percent of counties and municipalities nationwide. Headquartered in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,600 business partners.
ESRI’s goal is to develop comprehensive tools that enable users to efficiently manage, use, and serve geographic information to make a difference in the world around them. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. ESRI can be found on the Web at www.esri.com.
ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, GIS by ESRI, ArcGIS, ArcFM, ArcSDE, ArcView, ArcInfo, ArcEditor, www.esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
trademark owners.
