Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) was founded in 1946 and has grown to become the 12th-largest public power utility in the nation. Covering more than 5,000 square miles in eastern Nebraska, OPPD serves a customer base exceeding 400,000 customers – and electricity demand in the territory is growing at an unprecedented rate, leading OPPD to seek additional solutions to help keep up with demand and keep customers happy.

To accommodate this growing demand for electricity, OPPD embarked on a transformative journey toward becoming a digital utility company. This strategic shift involved integrating sophisticated data management systems and robust communications networks to allow OPPD to collect, store and analyze electricity usage data in real-time. The goal was to enhance operational efficiencies and improve customer communication.

To help facilitate the transition, OPPD sought a reliable solution to replace outdated consumer-level devices that were increasingly prone to inefficiencies and operational limitations. These limitations included connectivity delays, bottlenecks and compatibility issues, which hindered OPPD’s ability to operate at peak efficiency. The company also needed to transition from dated manual and paper-based systems to digital platforms, ensuring accurate data capture and seamless accessibility in the field.

After evaluating various solutions, OPPD chose to deploy 200 semi-rugged devices across multiple units within the organization, including meter technicians, troubleshooters, line crews and system protection and automation personnel. Serving as the central hub for information and task execution, these devices enabled field personnel to smoothly receive work orders, conduct digital asset inspections, access real-time location data and input crucial information into the database – all from a single, robust device.

Brent Saltzman, manager of Endpoint Engineering at Omaha Public Power District, emphasized the importance of these devices: “Our field personnel work tirelessly every day to address customer needs, so having technology that can keep up with their job demands is paramount.”

The semi-rugged devices are especially helpful for troubleshooters who work on a demanding 12-hour rotation and rely on their rugged devices to keep them informed of new and existing jobs throughout the day. For example, if a customer loses power, a troubleshooter will receive the location details of the outage through OPPD’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) software and then drive to the location to start their work. With data transmitted directly to their devices in real-time, troubleshooters can understand the situation even before they arrive on site, ultimately helping them restore power more quickly and efficiently.

The semi-rugged design of the laptop makes it ideal for withstanding the bumps and drops prone to fieldwork and challenging weather like rain or snow. Field personnel also appreciate the device’s 14" screen size and high brightness levels, which ensures optimal visibility, even in direct sunlight. And, the device’s backward compatibility allows seamless integration with existing hardware and software infrastructure, eliminating the need for cumbersome adaptors that field personnel must carry around from job site to job site.

With multiple connectivity options, field personnel gained access to real-time geographic information system (GIS) data, facilitating remote asset inspections and expediting response times. Personnel could quickly pinpoint the location of a power outage and dispatch the closest repair crew. Rapid access to data also streamlined job navigation, with maps to the location of the next task sent directly to the device, so field personnel could easily transition seamlessly between assignments.

OPPD found that the devices fit harmoniously within their ecosystem, making both the devices and operating system familiar and easy for OPPD’s IT team to set up and deploy, and for field personnel to use on day one. Thanks to the infrared webcam built into the devices, field personnel can log in using facial recognition technology, which eliminates the wasted time workers spent recalling and entering long passwords.

Scott Marshall, manager of Application Services at Omaha Public Power District, highlighted the broader vision behind the company’s digital transformation: “Our shift to a digital utility company is not just about modernization; it’s a commitment to addressing our customers’ present needs while innovating for their future challenges. Through the integration of technology and a focus on customer-centric solutions, we are empowering our communities to thrive.”

By choosing to implement semi-rugged devices, OPPD was able to meet the evolving needs of its field workers, enhancing productivity and flexibility. This strategic move also positions OPPD to advance into a digitally-driven future for their customers and community.