When Data Tells a Story

New Automation Tools Strengthen Reliability

TVA doesn’t wait until winter is at its doorstep to prepare. During milder months, employees have invested time in readying assets for extreme weather. And that doesn’t mean just the physical assets like pipes or turbines – it’s the data behind them.

A team of asset analytics experts, led by Jaclyn Lawton, developed a dashboard tool to streamline and automate the winter certification process. Although it hasn’t been fully implemented yet, many generation sites have already begun testing the tool, and Jaclyn foresees the dashboard playing a major role in 2026.

Jaclyn Lawton, manager of asset analytics, at TVA’s Chattanooga Office Complex.

“We’ve laid the groundwork this year,” said Lawton, manager of asset analytics. “It will ultimately minimize the time that it takes to do some of these certification procedures so employees can focus on what’s important, which is keeping the lights on.”

While previous processes relied on manual paperwork, this new process is slated to eliminate tedious tasks and allow employees in the Generation space to focus on core responsibilities. Think of it as a smart checklist that updates itself, so teams don’t have to waste time filling out forms.

Norm Flake, program manager for seasonal readiness, estimates that close to 200 hours were saved during this pilot period.

In addition to promoting greater efficiency, the tool also identifies data gaps – a feature that will improve future planning and accountability. The visual tracker, replacing spreadsheets and forms, allows users to see tasks that have been completed and ones that are still pending – like a progress bar for reliability.

Lawton chats with coworkers Andrew Welden, operational data analyst specialist, and John Colvin, senior program manager of Business Analytics.

One of the employees behind all this data is Andrew Welden, operational data analyst specialist.

“A big part of this project is not just tracking where we are – it’s identifying where we want to be,” Welden said. “I try to take a bunch of raw, ugly numbers and paint a picture with it. Data is only meaningful if you use the numbers to tell a story.”

This new tool will also provide digital receipts that outline that story.

Automating this process is an important first step. Early progress shows promise, but real value will come as the work continues to mature through adoption, feedback and refinement at the sites.

Reliability isn’t just a metric – it’s peace of mind for millions, powered by the dedication of behind-the-scenes folks like Lawton and Welden.

And as this expert team takes a deep dive into the data, they’re freeing operators to focus on what matters: caring for communities when the cold hits hardest.