Siemens to Deliver Streamlined Approach to Managing Transmission Study Data for the Western Electricity Coordinating Council

New program will save WECC members an estimated 12-15 weeks of labor per year

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Mar 27, 2012, 09:00 ET

SCHENECTADY, N.Y., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemens Power Technologies International (Siemens PTI) today announced an agreement with the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) to deliver WECC's Base Case Coordination System (BCCS) planning tool. The BCCS solution, based on Siemens PTI's Model on Demand (MOD®) software product, will improve the collection and compilation of WECC data used to build their transmission system study models.

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With the project scheduled for completion in December 2012, the BCCS will enable WECC and its members to streamline data collection and the case building effort in the region. The BCCS provides a means to create a nearly infinite number of scenario cases and could save the average WECC member an estimated 12 to 15 weeks of labor per year. The centralized data base within the BCCS solution also ensures model data consistency, data accuracy and provides tracking and data logging to comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) standards.

"Currently, WECC and its members are expending considerable engineering resources to support our case building efforts including case review and data corrections. With the BCCS planning tool, a significant amount of time will be saved and the solution will transform how our members manage model data and build cases," said Branden Sudduth, Manager of Planning Services at WECC.

MOD® is a secure, multi-user, web-based model data management application that enables electric transmission planners to submit, track, view and audit planning data and related changes grouped as projects or phases in a database. The BCCS project will expand the existing functionality of MOD® to meet the WECC's specifications, including multi-platform compatibility.

"While MOD® is deployed at nearly all Independent System Operators (ISOs) and numerous utilities within the United States, this project is the first to bridge the gap between planning software vendors," says Brian Gemmell, general manager at Siemens PTI. "The outcome of providing data and model management capabilities in other vendor formats will allow clients worldwide to utilize the MOD® solution without changing their existing platforms or processes."

About Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC)

WECC – one of eight Regional Entities in North America, encompassing a geographic area equivalent to over half the United States – is responsible for promoting electric system reliability and providing a forum for coordinating the operating and planning activities of its member organizations. WECC members — representing all segments of the electric industry — provide electricity in 14 Western states, two Canadian provinces, and part of one Mexican state.

About Siemens

Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector, with approximately 87,000 employees worldwide, offers sustainable technologies for metropolitan areas and their infrastructures. Its offerings include complete traffic and transportation systems, intelligent logistics, efficient energy supply, environmentally compatible building technologies, modernization of the way power is transmitted and distributed, and smart consumption of electricity. The sector is comprised of the Rail Systems, Mobility and Logistics, Low and Medium Voltage, Smart Grid and Building Technologies Divisions as well as Osram Sylvania. For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/infrastructure-cities.

Siemens Power Technologies International (Siemens PTI) offers network consulting services, system planning software and professional training on all aspects of transmission and distribution. Siemens PTI provides the knowledge and expertise to combine the individual equipment components to form a complete electricity supply system that meets your technical and economical requirements. Siemens PTI brings a comprehensive understanding and ability to analyze any type of electricity network – whether it is low-voltage or medium-voltage distribution systems for industrial or public electricity supply to the highest voltage levels for transmission systems. Our internationally renowned experts, software portfolio and education curriculum, along with our longstanding expertise, are a sound basis for developing state-of-the-art solutions of the highest reliability and efficiency for your network. For more information, visit www.siemens.com/power-technologies.

SOURCE Siemens