Grant County Public Utility District (Grant PUD) has selected integrated Autodesk utility solutions to design and manage the utility’s electric distribution and fiber telecommunications networks. Using Autodesk software will help Grant PUD to design its networks more quickly, help reduce operating costs to maintain the networks, and provide the utility with a strong foundation for future growth.

A publicly owned utility in the Pacific Northwest, Grant PUD serves 44,000 retail electric customers, generating over 80% of electricity from hydropower, and nearly 4,400 fiber optic network subscribers. Like many other utilities its size, Grant PUD is experiencing increased workloads due to growth and requirements to refurbish its aging infrastructure, such as installing over 50 miles of feeder rebuild. After a thorough evaluation process, Grant PUD chose Autodesk utility solutions—including Autodesk Utility Design (AUD) for its design work and Autodesk Topobase software for its infrastructure model management.

Previously, Grant PUD’s design processes relied on a variety of systems that made it difficult to leverage engineering design information across GIS, work management and material ordering systems. With Autodesk software, Grant PUD employees across all departments will be able to access and query an intelligent infrastructure model for information about their network. Once implemented, the new system will help the utility to increase control and interactivity among key operations, including customer service, engineering, right-of-way, warehouse and dispatch. The software will also provide interoperability with Grant PUD’s new financial and work order systems.