Presentation: The Automation of Converting SCADA EMS Displays to PI WebParts

The System Operations Department of Pepco Holdings, Inc. had a homegrown web server that provided users access to near real time SCADA data and the ability to view historical data using EMS display formats. After migrating to a newer release of the EMS, corporate users no longer had access to these displays. The PI System had been used to store EMS historical data for several years; however, users had to use a manual process for building ProcessBook displays and/or DATALINK to view historical and current data. Corporate users were accustomed to viewing SCADA data with the look and feel of EMS displays on the web. They were able to view historical data with defined schematics of a one line diagram and navigate throughout the website. Obviously, the majority of corporate users do not have access to the EMS. Engineers and interested individuals wanted to continue to see and use this data for troubleshooting, research, decision making, studies and planning. A centralized approach was needed to allow streamlined administrative maintenance, easy access and navigation, user validation and authentication. With this business challenge in mind, a technical solution to the problem needed to be addressed. With EMS licensing and compliance limitations, a PI System with PI WebParts, and MS Sharepoint was the obvious answer. Real-time data that was stored in the PI System needed to provide a less challenging way of being utilized without having to use OSIsoft tools to build and format this data so that it would be useful. An automated process to take EMS displays along with system specific data link definitions and translate or convert this information to a format usable by PI WebParts was the solution