Irish geographic information systems provider Esri Ireland has automated a map requesting process for Northern Ireland Electricity Networks, enabling citizens and contractors to determine proximity of electricity infrastructure to building or renovation sites, according to Business Eye.

NIE Networks, which serves over 966,000 customers across Northern Ireland, supplies contractors and members of the public with maps when planning excavation works to avoid accidental cable strikes that could cause power outages.

NIE Networks receives approximately 6,000 map requests annually. The organisation previously manually generated maps for each specific request with applicants waiting up to ten days to receive these via email or post. Customers can now make requests online via a dedicated webpage and receive maps within a maximum of one hour.

The service operates 24 hours daily, including outside traditional office hours and weekends. The number of map requests has increased significantly since the new process introduction, contributing to boosted health and safety for Northern Ireland's approximately 1.9 million citizens through greater awareness of safety risks near planned excavations.

Emily Boyd, Team Lead, GIS Technician (East Region) at NIE Networks, said: "The number one priority in NIE Networks is to improve safety around the electricity network – and that's why the new ArcGIS solution is so important. It is helping to ensure people are better informed of the locations of high voltage cables, so it's critical for us to be able to do this in a timely and efficient manner."

The solution delivers considerable time savings for NIE Networks, enabling internal resources to be reallocated to other core business activities. An interactive dashboard provides teams with greater oversight of planned works and enables quicker response times in case of incidents.

Discover how automated mapping technology is enhancing public safety across Northern Ireland in the complete article.