National Grid Improves Outage Forecasting by 50% with Help from WeatherBug
March 25 2015 - 9:45AM
Business Wire
To help keep the power on to more than one million customers in
the northeastern U.S., National Grid is teaming with WeatherBug by
Earth Networks on a major initiative combining real-time data from
community weather stations, advanced forecasting technology, and
sophisticated outage modeling approaches.
National Grid and WeatherBug are completing the installation of
55 WeatherBug Weather Stations throughout New York, Massachusetts
and Rhode Island. These new stations, plus more than 200 others
placed throughout the region at schools, town halls, emergency
response centers, and other locations, report current weather
conditions within communities.
This hyper-local, real-time weather data is then fed into
ENcast, WeatherBug’s advanced weather forecasting system, to
generate pinpoint accurate and reliable nowcasts to extended 15-day
forecasts. These forecasts are then input into outage models that
significantly improve National Grid’s ability to predict, monitor
and respond to outages in a timely and efficient manner.
“As part of our overall outage forecasting initiative, which
uses real-time local data from new WeatherBug stations placed in
communities throughout New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts,
ENcast has enabled us to improve our outage forecasting by 50% over
the standard guidance available from the National Weather Service,”
says Jorge Calzada, Director - Metrics, Advanced Analytics, &
Customer Reliability, Network Strategy, National Grid. “This
improvement is due directly to the data -- the increased density
and granularity of WeatherBug Weather Station observations used in
the ENcast forecast algorithms. This forecast output is then fed
into our outage model."
The WeatherBug Weather Stations donated by National Grid benefit
communities. Live, neighborhood-level weather data, forecasts and
severe weather alerts are available at no cost on WeatherBug mobile
apps and online to help first responders, local officials, school
faculty and staff, and residents make better weather-related safety
decisions. Plus, area K-12 schools can use the weather data in the
classroom to support science, technology, engineering and math
(STEM) lessons. Previously, these communities had to rely on
weather reports from urban centers and airports located miles
away.
About National Grid
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE: NGG) is an electricity and natural
gas delivery company that connects nearly 7 million customers to
vital energy sources through its networks in New York,
Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It is the largest distributor of
natural gas in the Northeast. National Grid also operates the
systems that deliver gas and electricity across Great Britain.
Through its U.S. Connect21 strategy, National Grid is
transforming its electricity and natural gas networks to support
the 21st century digital economy with smarter, cleaner, and more
resilient energy solutions. Connect21 is vital to our communities'
long-term economic and environmental health and aligns with
regulatory initiatives in New York (REV: Reforming the Energy
Vision) and Massachusetts (Grid Modernization.)
For more information please visit our website:
www.nationalgridus.com, or our Connecting website. You can also
follow us on Twitter, watch us on YouTube, Friend us on Facebook
and find our photos on Instagram.
About Earth Networks: Powering WeatherBug &
WeatherBug Home
For 20 years, we have been Taking the Pulse of the Planet® using
the world’s largest weather, lightning and greenhouse gas
monitoring networks. Our sensors across the planet keep consumers,
businesses, and governments informed, updated and alerted. Our
popular WeatherBug® brand provides neighborhood-level weather,
superior forecasts and advanced severe weather alerts to millions.
Our WeatherBug Home offering taps big weather and
connected home data for improved energy efficiency and comfort.
Enterprises such as schools, airports, professional sports teams,
utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning
solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events, and
optimize operations. Know Before®.
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National GridMedia Relations, 781-907-3980orWeatherBug - Earth
NetworksRachel Hunt, 301-250-4046rhunt@weatherbug.com
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