Calgary's new CIS provides flexibility to offer outstanding service in a competitive electricity market

The City of Calgary, driven by the specter of Year 2000 issues as well as deregulation, decided to replace its 18-year old mainframe with state-of-the-art customer information system for all its utility customers. The system selected is the SCT Banner Customer Information System from Enlogix, headquartered in Toronto. This is the only software developed that was actually in use by other utilities, including Westcoast Energy, Toronto Hydro, Edison Source and PG and E in California. The conversion from an S-390 mainframe system relies on Banner's Oracle database technology. The main server, an IBM-RS 6000, will be stationed at an Enlogix data center, located in Calgary. Desktop workstations using Pentium II processors, with 350 MHz will be used. The major factors in favor of the Banner System were the SCT and Enlogix proven implementation methodologies. The implementation, expected to take about a year, will change about 100 major policies, but the utility is going forward with only nine modifications to match its processes to industry standards. The system has been 'Canadianized' to fulfill unique measurements, regulatory and tax requirements