Co-authored by Bill Meehan of Esri and Kevin Gorham of EPRI
The Internet of Things (IoT)? Dated. The Internet of Everything (IoE)? Even worse. In today’s electric transmission world, we need something sharper—something rooted in spatial intelligence. So let me introduce you to the Internet of Where (IoW). It’s not a buzzword; it’s a framework for thinking spatially in a grid that’s getting smarter, faster, and more connected by the second.
Let’s face it, transmission utilities are no strangers to sensors. Before “IoT” became trendy, we had SCADA. In fact, we had SCADA before Amazon sold books online. Remote terminal units (RTUs) gathered voltage, current, and switch status. Operators saw it all on mimic boards and took action. We weren’t calling it IoT, but it was already sensor-driven decision-making in its purest form.
But today, we’re not talking about thousands of sensor points. We’re talking about billions—and not just utility-owned sensors. We’re talking weather sensors, traffic cameras, social media feeds, EV telemetry, and even AI-based image detection systems mounted on drones and helicopters. The game has changed. And the edge isn’t just smarter—it’s everywhere.
Why “Where” is the Deciding Factor
Let’s do a thought experiment. A fault occurs on a high-voltage line in the middle of nowhere. A lightning sensor picks up a strike in the vicinity. A camera on a nearby substation captures a flash. A local resident posts on social media: “Whoa—huge boom just now by the canyon!” A vibration sensor on a tower arm triggers. All of this happens in a 3-second window.
Now pause.
What do those events mean individually? Not much.
But bring them together—spatially—and you start to get clarity. You begin to understand the relationships between the individual data points. That’s the Internet of Where in action. You’re layering sensor types, aligning timelines, and tying everything to a point on the map. That’s how modern utilities solve complex problems at speed.
The GIS-Transmission Nexus
This is where GIS—specifically, enterprise GIS platforms like ArcGIS—steps in. Think of it as the glue that binds your data with the physical world. Unlike siloed operational systems (like EMS, PMU historians, or line rating platforms), GIS doesn’t care where the data came from—it cares where the data is.
This makes GIS the ultimate data aggregator. It takes SCADA events, real-time weather models, asset aging data, lidar scans, and crowd-sourced alerts and folds them into a single spatial model. That model then becomes a decision engine for planners, operators, engineers, and executives.
Want to know where wildfire risk intersects with congested corridors and aging towers? GIS knows. Want to prioritize dynamic line rating deployments based on terrain, load profile, and equipment vintage? GIS does that too.
FERC 811: A Nudge Toward the Spatial Mindset
The recent FERC Order 811 is yet another signal that the transmission world is getting a spatial upgrade. The order encourages region-wide planning and data-sharing to enhance grid capacity through Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) like Dynamic Line Ratings (DLRs), Advanced Power Flow Controllers, and topology optimization.
But what do all these GETs have in common?
They all rely on knowing exactly where things are and what’s happening there—in real time. And more importantly, how those things interact spatially across large, complex systems. That’s why the Internet of Where isn’t a “nice-to-have” anymore. It’s essential infrastructure.
Security, CIP, and the Invisible Layer
Now, none of this works unless it’s secure. In a world where cyber and physical threats converge, utilities must think differently. And guess what? Even here, location matters.
Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards—like CIP-014 for physical security and CIP-005 for electronic perimeters—are fundamentally about location-based risk. Where are your most critical substations? Which lines serve as single points of failure in your region? Where are your telecom paths most vulnerable?
ArcGIS supports this through network models, risk layers, and secure data sharing protocols. You can assess blast zones, intrusion paths, threat proximity, and response times—all spatially. It’s not just about data protection anymore. It’s about grid survivability, and you can’t defend what you can’t map.
The Five-Layer Model of Utility Intelligence
Let’s break it down further. Every utility, whether they admit it or not, is dealing with five core types of data:
Authoritative – The stuff you know: structure age, conductor types, line ratings, maintenance history.
Predictive – What might happen: wildfire models, flooding zones, vegetation growth.
Measured – Sensor data, real-time telemetry, thermal readings.
Experiential – Knowledge from lineworkers, experienced supervisors, planners, and field techs.
Crowd-sourced – Tweets, citizen alerts, contractor inputs.
The magic happens when all five are brought into the same spatial model. That’s where location becomes the common language.
Real-time + Real-smart = Real Impact
Here’s the truth: we don’t need more data—we need better decisions. And the best decisions happen when you unify time, type, and place. Unifying data exponentially increases the value of the individual parts, something that GIS has done for years.
So, what does this mean for electric transmission?
Fewer patrols, faster fault localization.
More surgical asset investments based on spatial risk.
Better compliance, because maps don’t lie.
Better resilience, because maps show what’s connected—and what’s not.
A true Common Operating Picture (COP), grounded in real-world geography.
Final Charge
The Internet of Where isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a way of thinking—about sensors, systems, threats, opportunities, and people.
In the end, this isn’t really about GIS or FERC or CIP. It’s about delivering safe, reliable power through situational awareness, and that starts with knowing where everything is and what’s happening right now.
Utilities that embrace the Internet of Where aren’t just modernizing—they’re future-proofing.
Want to know more about GIS and the Electric Utility Business? Click here.
Want to know more about EPRI’s Geospatial Intelligence Research for the Electric Utility Industry? Click here.