PHOENIX, June 20, 2012 -- With the monsoon season here, APS said they're ready for any problems.

The newly-opened APS Operations Center in Phoenix could reduce the time it takes to turn the power back on in half. The new center puts the customer call center and the operations center under the same roof. Instead of using old maps with push pins, APS now has monitors covering wall with maps of local power grids.

"Instantly, we'll have access to all of that information," said APS spokesman Damon Gross. "Any tool that helps us deploy people faster is a benefit for our customers."

Operations Director Jerry Levesque is most excited for the new electronic customer service ticket system. Before, reports of power outages were sorted manually. The new system sorts it all out automatically.

"When we see a lot of calls in one area, [the system] groups those tickets together, and that gives us a good idea of where to send someone," said Levesque.

The new center will be able to monitor all APS power grids throughout the state of Arizona within a year.

Right now, cities like Yuma have their own monitor center, but soon those centers will be consolidated under one roof.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://ktar.com