Geographical Information Systems as a Tool to Assist the Electricity Distribution Networks Planning Mario Andrés Mejía Alzate 1 Joel David Melo Trujillo 2 Antonio Padilha Feltrin 1 Carmen Cecilia Sánchez Zuleta 3 Juan Pablo Fernández Gutiérrez 3 Abstract In recent years, the population growth in urban areas of Latin American cities has resulted in an increase in de- mand for electricity in a dispersed manner, bringing challenges to the planning of distribution systems to supply this demand. In addition, incentives for the installation of distributed generation make it necessary to carry out analyzes with a spatial perspective to determine the places of impact in the electricity distribution networks. Geographic information systems are computational tools that allow the processing of data with geographic reference. These systems can col- laborate in the visualization of the socioeconomic characteristics and the variables distributed in the zone of study, being able to provide information to the distribution planners. This work shows computational tools that will help distribution utilities, using techniques available in geographic information systems to characterize the local factors in concession zone of the distribution utilities. Keywords. Planning of the Distribution System, Geographic Information Systems, Geo processing, Spatial Analysis, and Socioeconomic Characteristics. Revista EIA, ISSN 1794-1237 / Año XVI / Volumen 16 / Edición N.32 / Julio-Diciembre 2019 / pp. 151-166 Publicación semestral de carácter técnico-científico / Universidad EIA, Envigado (Colombia) DOI: https://doi.org/10.24050/reia.v16i32.1125 ¹ Universidad Estadual Paulista – UNESP. Ilha Solteira - SP, Brasil. ² Universidad Federal do ABC – UFABC. Santo André - SP, Brasil. ³ Universidad de Medellín– U de M. Medellín, Colombia. Autor de correspondencia: Mejía Alzate, M.A. (Mario Andrés): Avenida Brasil, 56, Centro, 15385-000, Ilha Solteira - SP, Brasil.. Teléfono: (18) 3743-1000 - Ramais: 1622 e 1626. Celular: 55 (17) 997019374. Correo electrónico: maanmejia@utp.edu.co Historia del artículo: Artículo recibido: 30-VI-2017/ Aprobado: 30-V-2019 Disponible online: 3 de julio de 2019 Discusión abierta hasta marzo de 2021 Artículo en prensa / Article in press