OMS: What is an Outage Management System?

As a consumer, your first thought when the power goes out is probably:  

"When will it be back on?" 

But the process of restoring power is much more complicated than you may realize. If you're curious to find out how your utility helps restore power after a storm or other event, read on! We'll give you an overview of what happens behind the scenes. 

In this article we'll discuss what an OMS is and how it works, including some of its advantages over traditional tools like spreadsheets or pen-and-paper systems. 

What is an OMS? 

An Outage Management System (OMS) is a software application that helps utilities manage power outages in a reliable and cost-effective manner. 

An OMS can be used by power companies to proactively schedule maintenance, monitor for potential issues during an outage, and even predict the impact of an outage. 

OMS systems allow power companies to input all events related to outages, and track the entire process from start to finish. This includes everything from notification of service interruption and restoration activities to customer communication.  

OMSs also provide critical data for companies’ internal performance management reports, as well as for external reporting requirements such as ISO/RTO compliance reporting or FEMA mitigation assistance reporting. 

What does an OMS do? 

An OMS is a software application that helps utilities manage power outages in a reliable and cost-effective manner. It allows power companies to input all events related to outages, and to track the entire process from start to finish. 

The OMS is designed for use by multiple teams within an organization who are responsible for identifying an outage, estimating its scope and impact, repairing the problem, restoring service, and communicating with customers and other stakeholders throughout this process. 

OMS systems allow power companies to input all events related to outages, and to track the entire process from start to finish. 

An OMS system allows power companies to input all events related to an outage and track the entire process from start to finish. This information is then shared with customers, who can use that data for their own purposes. 

The ability of a power company to automate many of its activities saves money and makes it easier for consumers to get help when they need it. In addition, these systems allow consumers who were on-site during an outage to enter their own experiences into the database as well so that others can benefit from learning what worked or didn't work in similar situations. 

OMS can monitor, manage and report on planned or unplanned outages, from the initial event through to restoration. 

OMS helps to communicate with customers and employees about the status of a power failure so that they can take action accordingly. 

It helps to: 

identify affected areas 

isolate them from the grid 

forecast when systems will return to normal operation 

determine which customers will be affected by service interruptions 

estimate costs associated with restoring power after an incident or outage has occurred 

track costs and expenses associated with outages 

Furthermore, outage management systems reduce customer complaints by providing timely updates on expected restoration times via email or text messaging features integrated into OMS software platforms. 

What are the advantages of having an Outage Management System? 

An OMS can automate many of the activities that were once done by people, saving money and making it easier for consumers to get help when they need it. It also helps to ensure consistent responses across all teams, which is more efficient than having each team manage its own process. 

Customers report an outage and view the outage map through a customer portal. 

 The OMS allows power companies to track outages as well as manage restoration efforts better than ever before. Customers can also report an outage and view the outage map through a customer portal. Customers can get help with billing and payment questions, view their account and service history, and see their current usage. 

OMS automation saves money  

OMS automates many of the activities that were once done by people, saving money and making it easier for consumers to get help when they need it. 

OMS automation enhances user experience 

The OMS is an important tool for utilities, but it’s also valuable to customers. OMS can also help customers to be informed about the status of their outage, and to report problems or ask questions. 

Enables effective communication.  

The OMS allows power companies to communicate effectively with customers about outages, and it helps them get the information they need in order to make decisions about how best to restore service.  

We hope that this post has helped to inform you about outage management. Contact Minsait ACS today to learn more about outage management systems.