Grid Mapping Starter Kit

A starter kit for Electrical Transmission Grid Mapping in OpenStreetMap, combining Osmose with JOSM.

This repository is still under development and may change significantly over time.

Setup Mapping Environment

1. Install the latest version of JOSM on your machine. Download here.
2. Configure the JOSM user interface according to your needs. A preconfigured preferences file is available here. The JOSM wiki provides details on where to place the preferences.xml file, depending on your operating system.
3. The paint map style is dynamically loaded from this GitHub repository and optimized for large-scale transmission grid mapping. If you want to use a custom paint style, download the file to your local machine, modify it, and add it to JOSM under Edit → Preferences → Paint Map Style.
4. Load the template session by selecting File → Open.
5. Add a new OSM token to JOSM under Edit → Preferences → OSM Server. Be aware that your token will be stored in your local preferences.xml file. Do not share this file with anyone.

Download Transmission Data and Issues

1. Zoom to the area you want to map. Activate the osm-transmission-grid layer and download the osm tranmission data to this layer using the preconfigured Overpass Turbo script. If the download fails, the timeout may be too low or the bounding box too large:

[out:json][timeout:120];
// Use the current map's bounding box for the search area

// Find all power towers
node["power"="tower"]({{bbox}}) -> .towers;

// Find all power lines connected to towers
way["power"="line"]({{bbox}}) (bn.towers) -> .lines_connected_to_towers;

// Include substations
node["power"="substation"]({{bbox}}) -> .substation_nodes;
way["power"="substation"]({{bbox}}) -> .substation_ways;
relation["power"="substation"]({{bbox}}) -> .substation_relations;

// Combine all relevant results
(
  .towers;
  .lines_connected_to_towers;
  .substation_nodes;
  .substation_ways;
  .substation_relations;
);

out body;
>;
out skel qt;

2. Visit Osmose and activate only "Power lines". Click the plus symbol next to it and select "Unfinished power major line". Zoom to the area of interest, activate the Osmose layer in JOSM, switch back to Osmose, and press Export → JOSM. Towers with "Unfinished power major line" should now be visible in the Osmose layer in JOSM.
   • If the towers are not visible, try the following:
     • Disable your ad blocker.
     • Enable Remote Control under Edit → Preferences in JOSM.
     • Reduce the visible area in Osmose.
3. Enable "Discourage Upload" for the Osmose layer to prevent accidental uploads. You can now investigate each Osmose error in the transmission grid. After fixing an issue (or if you cannot fix it), remove the tower from the Osmose layer to track your progress.

Mapping Strategies

The following strategies outline different approaches to extending the existing transmission network. Only map infrastructure that you can confidently classify using satellite or ground imagery.

• Search for all "Unfinished major power lines" in Osmose.
• Look for news reports on new substations that have become operational in recent years.
• Search for new substation records and national substation records as a reference layer.
• Check records of generators, solar farms, and other energy assets for integration into the transmission network.
• Ensure all transmission substations are connected to the national grid.
• Identify obvious gaps in the network topology from a national perspective.
• Look for new lines parallel to existing ones and new lines extending from major central substations.