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Starter-Kit

Open Infrastructure Map showing the detailed transmission and distribution grid in Portugal. Click to enlarge.

This Starter-Kit empowers you how to map your first line of the electrical transmission grid. If you ever get stuck with the Starter-Kit or would like to provide feedback, please contact us via our community chat or via email. A MapYourGrid community member will help you finish your first line and set up your environment.

We recommend JOSM (Java OpenStreetMap) editor generally, particularly for professional, large-scale grid mapping and to inspect the electrical grid. However, if you only want to make minor edits or leave notes without installing anything, the iD editor in combination with Open Infrastructure Map and MapComplete is a better choice. These tools also offer enhanced usability for field mapping tasks and data validation. You can follow our tutorials on this website, but we also have a video tutorial for JOSM!

Get started by clicking on one of the OpenStreetMap editors:

JOSM Starter‑Kit - Large‑Scale Mapping iD Starter‑Kit - Small‑Scale & Field Mapping MapComplete Starter‑Kit - Missing Tags Mapping

JOSM Starter-Kit

Check out our starter-kit video tutorial for JOSM

1. Install and Configure JOSM

This is what your JOSM should look like after setting up the full Starter-Kit. Click to enlarge.
Different preferences that need to be configured, including the Power Presets. Click to enlarge.
For countries such as Japan, high-resolution imagery is available across the whole country in JOSM. Click to enlarge.
  1. Install JOSM using the recommended instructions for your machine.
  2. Link your OSM account to JOSM. To do this, go to Edit → Preferences → OSM Server and select "Authorise". Login (or sign-up) with your OSM account. Your OSM account should now be linked. On macOS Preferences can be found under JOSM → Settings
  3. Enable Remote control in Edit → Preferences → Remote Control. This allows for grid data to be loaded automatically.
  4. Enable Expert Mode View → Expert Mode to enable search function that you will need.
  5. Understanding JOSM layers. JOSM works with stacked layers, similar to Photoshop or GIS tools:
    • You’ll typically have an OSM data layer, imagery layers, and optionally GeoJSON or task layers.
    • You can switch between multiple satellite imagery sources (for instance, Esri, Mapbox) to use the clearest one for your area.
  6. Load your Satellite Imagery via Imagery and select Bing aerial imagery and Esri World Imagery. In the Layers window on the right hand side you can now Show/hide the different imagery by clicking on the eye. This is also where you will load additional data layers. Changing the order of the data and imagery allows you to combine and overlap the different data sources. Some countries, such as Japan, South Africa and Germany, have their own high-resolution imagery in JOSM. If you are mapping local imagery will automatically be visible under Imagery.

Warning

In some countries, mapping power lines is restricted. Always verify local guidelines, connect with the OSM local community first, or check out the local projects. If you can't find a local community, please send us an email and we will help you set up a local group.

By following our Code of Mappers, we collectively protect the integrity of the OSM platform, foster trust with communities, and unlock the power of open data for a more resilient and just energy future. Please be aware that the OpenStreetMap community and foundation does not technically limit the mapping in any place on the globe. Therefore, our Code of Mappers cannot be enforced for volunteer community mappers either.

2. Setup your Presets

Default MapYourGrid Presets in JOSM toolbar. Click to enlarge.
  1. For ease of mapping, customise your top toolbar with presets if you have not used the default preferences. Right click the toolbar and choose Configure toolbar (or also Preferences → Toolbar). Then on the right, select Presets → Man Made → Man Made/Power and add Power Towers, Power Portal, Power Substation, Power Plants, Power Line and Power Generators, by pressing the button in the middle to add these to your toolbar. These are the main objects you will need for transmission grid mapping. You can also remove the presets you won't use.
  2. Another important Preset your will need is Add Node. You will find it under Tools → Add Node.
  3. When you open a new layer later in the tutorial, the toolbar will stop being grey.

3. Add Visual Clarity with Custom Map Styles 🎨

OhmyGrid legend for transmission grid mapping. Click to enlarge.
  1. In JOSM, go to Edit → Preferences → Map Paint Styles and press the "+" in the top right.
  2. Paste this URL, or download the raw file on your device, and add it.
  3. Make sure the style is active in the Map Paint Styles menu. You can check this with Windows → Map Paint styles.

Optional steps for an even better visual experience :

4. Let's map! Choose a Good First Line

Our community is constantly investigating transmission lines that are suitable for beginner friendly mapping experiences. Simply select a 'Good First Lines' from the following spreadsheet, and tick it if you have started mapping it. For now, just keep in mind in which country (or region) your picked 'Good first line' is in, as the next step is to load that countries' grid!

Good First Lines (Click Me)

Open this Spreadsheet in another Window

5. Load Power Infrastructure into JOSM đź“Ą

A substation of a hydroelectric power plant in Nigeria and the connection to the transmission grid.
The transmission lines do not end abruptly at the pink administrative borders. Therefore, the substation at the end of the interconnector may appear unmapped. The map in the download window displays all OpenStreetMap data, enabling you to swiftly verify whether substations or lines have been mapped. To map across borders, it is always recommended that you load both areas into your editor! Click to enlarge.
  1. Make sure remote control is enabled and ad-blocker disabled, and then go to the start mapping page, but come back to this page to read the instructions below!
  2. Here you can click on the country you want to map, and it will directly open JOSM and load the data of that country. The "Default Transmission (90kV+)" data should already be selected when you open the page. Now press the country, region/state/province of the Good First Line you would like to map. To load data for regions/states/provinces, simply zoom in further until the border becomes visible (only works for certain countries for now!).
  3. The data should now automatically appear in JOSM. In the Layer window on the right handside you should see the Data Layer, which is automatically named with the country/region you pressed on. The âś… on the left of the Data Layer should be visible, indicating that this is the active layer. All your edits in the main windows will now be part of this Data Layer.
  4. Familiarize yourself with the grid data, click on the lines and substation to inspect the tags and memberships in the window in the right side.

Risk of Double Mapping

Please bear in mind that you have only downloaded transmission grid data for the country, state or province that you selected. This includes power plants, generators, substations, power towers and transmission lines. Other OpenStreetMap objects, such as streets, will not be visible. Therefore, never use our tools to map objects other than those loaded via Overpass, as otherwise other mappers will have to clean up the duplicate data.

Some cross-border transmission lines will still be visible beyond the pink administrative boundaries. However, to edit these, you will need to load both countries. Never map beyond the pink administrative boundaries, as this will most likely result in infrastructure being mapped twice.

6. Map your First Line

Key JOSM elements for continuing a transmission line. Click to enlarge.
Selecting all the finished notes in a line enables you to quickly turn them into Power Towers.
Before uploading, JOSM will test your edits for known issues and various rule sets. Try to resolve as many validation results as possible. Click to enlarge.

Mapping is an iterative process, so you will make mistakes. However, this should not stop you from mapping; simply map what you can see in the imagery. Those who are new to the field should avoid altering existing data at all costs. However, you cannot break anything by adding new data, as this is constantly validated by our quality assurance tools. Now Start Mapping:

  1. Zoom in on the satellite imagery of the country you will map until you can see the houses and roads.
  2. Copy the Coordinates of your Good First Line and in JOSM press the Add Node presets button. Enter the coordinates here and press Ok. You should now see power towers that are not mapped at the end of a unfinished transmission line. Since you added a node which might not be on top of the actual tower, please remember to delete that node by pressing on Undo Sequence , or control+Z, or selecting the node and pressing Delete on your keyboard.
  3. Now, press Draw Line (left toolbar), and click on the last tower symbol at the end of the unfinished power line. You should now be able to extend the line.
  4. Search for the next power towers you can find and click on its footprint.
  5. If you ever feel unsure about how the line runs just place towers without the lines. By adding power towers you can do nothing wrong. Adding power towers is the easiest way to get started. To do this you can click on an existing tower and control+C and then press on where an unmapped power tower is and control+V.
  6. Continue the power line to the best of your ability. Once done, press CTRL+F while the line is still selected. Then enter/type child selected type:node AND untagged as search string, which will select all nodes you have created. Now Press Search, which will select all nodes without a tag on that line.
  7. Now press the Power Tower preset on the toolbar, followed by Apply Preset. Now all the nodes you have placed, should be tagged as Power Tower.

7. Upload your Edits to OpenStreetMap 📤

  1. Whilst having the Data Layer activated, press the green arrow pointing upwards , which should open a new window.
  2. Another new window Validation Results will appear in the right panel showing all the issues identified. Right-clicking on an issue will allow you to zoom in on it. Avoid ignoring this validation results. The only acceptable warning when uploading data is Possible missing line support node within power line.
  3. In the upload window, please tick the I would like someone to review my edits tick box if your mapping has been strongly affected by uncertainties like low-quality satellite data, or if you are a beginner. Provide a brief comment such as #mapyourgrid Unfinished transmission line. Provide the imagery source layer you used by typing Esri or Bing for example. Once done and sure about your edits, Upload Changes.
  4. You just mapped your First Good Line. Feel free to close more First Good Lines, but make sure you leave some for the others. You can use the Tools and Strategies we have provided to find your own unmapped line. To support our initiative, please use the #MapYourGrid hashtag in the comments when you upload a changeset.

Avoid these Common Mistakes đź“›

In particular, in the dense urban areas that are widespread in Nigeria, it can be very difficult to determine the route of the lines in satellite images. Therefore, mappers simply place unconnected power towers that appear as blue squares at higher zoom levels.

Mapping is an iterative process and mistakes happen. This should not stop you from mapping; simply map what you can verify based on your skillset. If a tower, lines or attributes are missing, our quality assurance tool Osmose will automatically detect this. Read more about our Quality Assurance and Validation layers in OpenStreetMap, and how we build on top of them.

  1. Our tools focus on transmission grids, that’s why you might* not see lines below 90 kV. To see already mapped lines below 90 kV or lines tagged with power=minor_line, download the whole area you’re working on with the green arrow pointing down. Even better, you can download a country on Map It 📍 with the Transmission+Distribution layer activated.
  2. When mapping, make sure to not go across the border of the country you’re working on (visible dashed neon pink lines). Otherwise, you may find yourself mapping something that already exists, but hasn’t been downloaded in JOSM. One of the strategies we have can help with this.
  3. Don’t map beyond your expertise. If unsure, leave it for experienced mappers or locals, make a fixme tag, or ask the community! If you ever feel unsure about where to place the lines, just focus on adding power towers. You can't go wrong this way. Adding power towers is the easiest way to get started.

For a safe mapping, we recommend you reading about good practices.

Note

⚠️ In some countries, mapping power lines is restricted. Always verify local guidelines, connect with the OSM local community first, or check out the local projects. If you can't find a local community, please send us an email and we will help you set up a local group.

⚠️ By following our Code of Mappers, we collectively protect the integrity of the OSM platform, foster trust with communities, and unlock the power of open data for a more resilient and just energy future.

Still "On the Line" and Motivated to Continue?

Well done on making it this far! We are offering free, hands-on transmission grid mapping workshops to people who have tried the Starter-Kit. You are very welcome to join our community chat called đź“Ť-mapyourgrid on the PyPSA-Earth discord channel. Here you can ask questions, and interact with the community. For mapping specific questions and to participate in our free personalized training, please join our đź“Ť-mapyourgrid-support-and-training channel.

Check out our Tools and Strategies to learn how to find your own new lines and become a grid mapping expert! The OpenStreetMap Wiki pages The Power Network and Key:Power provide an overview of how to map different power infrastructure.

You are also welcome to join our community calls to find out more about the mapping process and our initiative. Simply participate in one of the public events listed in this calendar.

iD Starter-Kit

Although editors such as iD and MapComplete offer a simpler way to contribute to smaller grid mapping, they quickly become limited when handling large lines or complex geometries. However, these platforms have clear advantages for mapping in the field using mobile devices compared to JOSM. For people who prefer iD over JOSM, the following tutorials can also be used to map on a PC.

Also, if you just want to add a note or report an issue, or if you want to suggest the addition of power towers or substations in your area, this platform offers a great way to make a quick contribution. Taking images in the field with MapComplete is also key to validating satellite-based mapping where detailed, high-resolution images are missing. Taking images can also be important for deriving relevant metadata, such as wind turbine power capacities. We are currently working on extending this functionality to power towers to enable more accurate estimation of transmission line voltages.

Reporting Issues in the Grid Using iD

The fastest and easiest way to contribute to your electrical grid is by adding notes where you see missing or incorrect information in OpenStreetMap. You can do this fully anonymously with no login required.

Open Infrastructure Map (left) and the iD Editor (right) provide a mobile-ready, easy-to-use way to report issues. Click to enlarge.

Steps to Report an Issue

  1. Go to the Open Infrastructure Map.
  2. Click Find my location in the top-right corner or search for your city.
  3. Click on the substation, power tower, power line, or power plant where you'd like to report an issue.
  4. In the description window, click the OpenStreetMap logo.
  5. The OpenStreetMap.org interface will now open at that location.
  6. Click the Add a note to the map button on the right-hand panel.
  7. Add a short description of the issue, and include the hashtag #mapyourgrid so we can find your note.

Reporting such smaller issues will significantly improve the long-term quality of your local grid's data.

Add Power Towers or Substations Using iD

To place a power tower, you first have to set a node and then add a tag (left). To save your edits on a mobile device using the iD Editor (right), you’ll need to close the inspector panel to reveal the `Save` button. Click to enlarge.

Have you spotted some power towers, power plants, or substations near your place that are still missing and want to quickly map them yourself? This can be done on your mobile device or PC using the iD editor. In this way, you can also correct voltages, circuits, or other errors you see in Open Infrastructure Map.

Add Power Towers

  1. Go to the Open Infrastructure Map.
  2. Click Find my location in the top-right corner or search for your city.
  3. Zoom in until you see the small Edit button in the lower right corner and press it.
  4. Create an OpenStreetMap account and log in to the Edit mode by pressing the button on the top panel.
  5. You will now see all OpenStreetMap and Bing Satellite imagery underneath. Depending on your region, you might want to switch to different satellite imagery by pressing the Background button in the right panel.
  6. By pressing the Point symbol in the upper panel, you can now place a node. Now tag this node as a Power Tower using the Edit Feature that will appear on the left side. Although filling out the other fields is optional, you are welcome to provide additional information if you know more about the type of power tower.
  7. Upload your data by pressing Save. On mobile devices, you first have to hide the left window by toggling the Inspect button at the top.
  8. Add a Changeset Comment with a brief description of your mapping activity. If you find our efforts, documentation and tools helpful, please include the hashtag #mapyourgrid in the changeset comment to let us know.

Add Substations

For mapping substations in iD we recommend using a PC. Click to enlarge.
  1. Go to the Open Infrastructure Map.
  2. Click Find my location in the top-right corner or search for your city.
  3. Zoom in until you see the small Edit button in the lower right corner and press it.
  4. Create an OpenStreetMap account and log in.
  5. By pressing the Area symbol in the upper panel, you can now mark the substation. Tag this area as a Substation using the Edit Feature that will appear on the left side. Add voltages, operators, or other fields if you have this information.
  6. Now upload this information by pressing Save.
  7. Add a Changeset Comment with a brief description of your mapping activity. If you find our efforts, documentation and tools helpful, please include the hashtag #mapyourgrid in the changeset comment to let us know.

Map Transmission Lines using iD

iD also offers you the option of extending Transmission Lines, also known as Power Lines, or creating new Transmission Lines. Even if this is theoretically possible on a mobile device, we recommend doing this with a mouse and keyboard on a PC.

For mapping substations in iD we recommend using a PC. Click to enlarge.
Depending on the region you are mapping, regularly switching between satellite images can help you identify power towers much more easily. Click to enlarge.
  1. First, you have to set a Power Tower if you don't already have a line you want to extend.
  2. Then press the Line symbol in the upper panel. Click on the power tower and draw the line to the next power tower.
  3. Click on the node you have just created and make it a power tower with the Inspect window on the left side.
  4. Afterwards, press on the line. In the Inspect window on the left side, you are now able to set the feature of this line as Power Line.
  5. If you know further important information about the line like the voltage, operator, or the circuits, you are welcome to add this or leave these fields empty.
  6. To further continue the line, select the power tower and press CTRL C to copy the tower. Now place it on the next tower you find.
  7. Afterwards, continue the line as far as you can by connecting all the power towers you have just set.
  8. Now upload this information by pressing Save.
  9. Add a Changeset Comment with a brief description of your mapping activity. If you find our efforts, documentation, and tools helpful, please include the hashtag #mapyourgrid in the changeset comment to let us know.

MapComplete Starter-Kit

MapComplete allows you to add missing information to objects like wind turbines (left). The platform allows you to upload images so that others can derive information like power output of the wind turbine. Click to enlarge.

The MapComplete platform provides an easy way to identify missing tags like the power output of a wind turbine that has already been mapped in OpenStreetMap. Like iD, the platform can be used from a PC but also from a mobile device. A special feature is the ability to upload images. In the case of a wind turbine, for example, this enables another mapper to estimate the output on the basis of this data. We are currently in development to extend this feature to Power Towers to derive the voltages, number of circuits, or cables from these images.

  1. Open MapComplete and select the thematic map like Wind power generators that you would like to improve.
  2. Jump to your location using the crosshair symbol in the lower right corner.
  3. Search for wind turbines in your region that are missing information.
  4. Press on the wind turbine symbol. You can now add the capacity or take a picture with your mobile device to let others derive the output power.
  5. Afterwards, press Save.

What else? Learn the Grid Basics

You don’t need to be a grid expert to start mapping, but a little knowledge helps! The following documents and materials will give you a basic understanding of how to map an electrical grid.

The Learning Curve is a YouTube channel that will help you understand the fundamental knowledge of the electrical grid. Here some video we recommend for grid mappers.

  1. Electrical Line Supports - Transmission Towers & Poles
  2. Components of Overhead Transmission Lines
  3. Comparison between HVAC and HVDC transmission system

We recommend the following documents for a deeper dive into the construction of the electrical grid and how it is designed, including the relationship between distance and voltage based on IEC 60071-2. Please keep in mind that different standards may apply depending on the country.

  1. Overhead Line Methodology
  2. Overhead Electrical Lines Exceeding AC 1 kV

The following image illustrates the fundamental design of the electrical grid: Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions

Key technology components of electricity grids Source: IEA - CC BY 4.0 - Electricity Grids and Secure Energy Transitions .