The pandemic had already stretched Versant Power’s resources thin when the storm hit. As COVID-19 forced new safety protocols and remote work arrangements, Maine’s second-largest utility company faced an unprecedented challenge: maintaining critical infrastructure while keeping crews safe and customers informed. Then nature added its own complexity, a massive storm system that would test every aspect of their emergency response capabilities.
“We had crews scattered across the state, COVID protocols limiting team sizes, and suddenly thousands of customers without power,” recalls the emergency operations manager at Versant Power. “We needed real-time visibility into crew locations, outage areas, and damage assessments, all while many of our dispatchers were working remotely for the first time.”
The Perfect Storm of Challenges
Before implementing Atlas, Versant Power’s storm response relied on a patchwork of systems: paper maps for damage assessment, radio communications for crew coordination, and delayed updates that left customers in the dark about restoration times. The traditional approach worked in normal circumstances, but the pandemic had rewritten the rulebook.
Field crews needed to maintain social distancing while conducting damage assessments. Dispatchers working from home required the same real-time visibility they had in the control room. Most critically, the company needed to provide accurate, timely information to anxious customers who were now working and schooling from home, making power restoration more urgent than ever.
Enter Atlas: Digital Transformation in Action
Cliffhanger Solutions’ Atlas platform transformed Versant Power’s emergency response capabilities through its innovative offline-first architecture. Unlike traditional mapping solutions that require constant connectivity, Atlas enabled field crews to conduct detailed damage assessments even in areas where cell towers were damaged or overloaded.
The platform’s robust synchronization capabilities meant that the moment a crew member documented a downed pole or damaged transformer offline, that information would automatically sync once they reached any connectivity, whether cellular, Wi-Fi, or even satellite. This offline-first approach proved invaluable when storm damage compromised communication infrastructure across Maine.
“Atlas gave us superpowers we didn’t know we needed,” the operations manager explains. “Crews could photograph damage, mark exact GPS locations, and categorize repair priorities, all while offline. When they hit a pocket of cell coverage, everything synced to our command center.”
Real-Time Intelligence, Real Impact
The transformation was immediate and measurable. Dispatchers, whether in the control room or working from home, could see live crew locations on a unified map interface. As damage assessments flowed in, Atlas automatically updated outage polygons, helping managers optimize crew deployment and provide accurate restoration estimates to customers.
The platform’s cross-functionality proved especially valuable. Insurance teams could access the same damage photos and assessments that field crews collected, streamlining claim documentation. Emergency management officials received real-time updates through secure, role-based access controls, ensuring sensitive infrastructure information remained protected while enabling crucial inter-agency coordination.
During one particularly severe storm event, Versant Power processed over 3,000 damage assessments in 48 hours, a task that previously would have taken a week to compile and verify. The digital damage reports, complete with photos and GPS coordinates, not only accelerated restoration but provided comprehensive documentation for federal disaster relief claims.
Building Resilience for the Future
The success during crisis conditions has transformed how Versant Power approaches all field operations. The company has expanded Atlas usage beyond emergency response to routine maintenance, vegetation management, and infrastructure upgrades. The same platform that proved invaluable during storm restoration now delivers daily operational efficiencies.
“What started as our emergency response solution has become our operational backbone,” notes the IT director. “The ability to work seamlessly online and offline, across any device, with real-time synchronization, it’s changed how we think about field operations entirely.”
The data availability that proved so crucial during the pandemic continues to drive improvements. Historical storm damage patterns, captured digitally for the first time, now inform infrastructure hardening investments. Crew performance metrics help optimize training and resource allocation. Customer communication has evolved from estimated restoration times to precise, GPS-based updates.
Lessons Learned, Lives Impacted
Versant Power’s experience with Atlas during the pandemic storm response offers valuable lessons for utilities everywhere. The investment in digital transformation paid dividends when traditional systems would have failed. The offline-first architecture ensured operations continued regardless of connectivity. Most importantly, the platform’s flexibility allowed the utility to adapt quickly to unprecedented circumstances.
For the thousands of Maine residents who experienced faster power restoration during critical times, the impact was profound. Students could continue remote learning. Employees maintained their work-from-home setups. Medical equipment remained operational. Behind each restored connection was a field crew equipped with Atlas, turning crisis into coordinated response.
As climate change drives more frequent severe weather events and remote work becomes permanently embedded in operations, Versant Power’s digital transformation through Atlas serves as a blueprint for resilience. The partnership between Cliffhanger Solutions and Versant Power demonstrates how innovative technology, properly implemented, can turn unprecedented challenges into opportunities for operational excellence.
