Utility companies provide electricity, gas, and water for public use. Lean and Six Sigma aid in effectively making that happen. We include a comprehensive resource guide on the use of Lean in utilities from the US Environmental Protection Agency and a paper exploring the use of Lean Six Sigma in the power sector. We’ll finish with an interesting short video on changing a utility pole and a link to a past ISSSP Blog on Lean Six Sigma in a Water Utility.

 

Using Lean for Effective Utility Management: USA

 

A comprehensive “Resource Guide to Effective Utility Management and Lean” from US EPA provides detailed information on improving performance at Water-Sector Utilities including appendices with case studies and sample templates.

After chapters on Effective Utility Management and Using Six Sigma and Lean, the appendices include several case studies:

  • Charleston Water System
  • Clean Water Services
  • City of Palm Bay Utilities
  • City of Palm Beach Utilities

The final appendix includes several useful sample templates.

  • Lean Event Charter
  • Six Sigma Plan-Do-Check-Act Project Worksheet
  • Root Case Analysis Fishbone Diagram
  • SIPOC Process Definition Sheet
  • Process Improvement Form
You can access the EPA Lean Resource Guide here.

 

Lean Six Sigma in the Power Sector: India

 

In a paper titled “Lean Six Sigma in the power sector: frog into prince” author Michael Sony discusses the impact of Lean Six Sigma in the power sector.

The paper includes five Indian case studies one from generation, one from transmission, and three from distribution companies.

  • Case Study 1: Thermal Power Plants
  • Case Study 2: Reducing 220 kV Transmission Line Down Time
  • Case Study 3: Reducing New Connection Time
  • Case Study 4: Complaint Handling in Electricity Service Center
  • Case Study 5: Reducing Electricity Losses

The paper concludes with a discussion of the seven main points concluded from the research.

You can read the paper here.

 

Changing Out an Electric Utility Pole

 

Watch an interesting short video from Coastal Electric Cooperative in Georgia on how to change out an electric utility pole.

 

 

You can view the video here.

 

 Past ISSSP Blog: Lean and Six Sigma Principles Applied in a Water Utility

You can access the blog here.

 

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