Hotline of power engineering specialists:
A working meeting was held at IDGC of Centre - the managing organization of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region, which was attended by representatives of the Company’s management and universities working in the regions of its service area (20 constituent entities of the Russian Federation). In a video conference mode, the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation in the framework of the concept of digital transformation of the power grid complex being implemented in the power company.
The head of the strategic planning department of IDGC of Centre - the managing organization of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region, Sergey Saenko, spoke about the main directions of the Concept. He introduced the representatives of the universities with the goals and objectives of digital transformation, outlined its main activities and stages. Among the main expected results from the implementation of the Concept, Sergey Saenko identified an increase in the company’s efficiency and accessibility of its power grid infrastructure, an improvement in the reliability characteristics of the power supply to consumers, the company’s adaptability to new tasks and challenges, the development of personnel potential and new competencies.
In turn, the representatives of higher educational institutions presented their research and development, technical solutions and educational projects for use within the concept of digital transformation to the power engineers. Thus, the Director of the Institute of Energy, Information Technology and Control Systems of BSTU named after Shukhov Alexander Belousov proposed to create on the basis of his university a centre of competence for the introduction of digital technologies and a testing ground for the training and retraining of operational staff in the field of digital transformation. Yevgeny Zatsepin, Associate Professor of the department of internal equipment at LSTU, presented a model of a smart electric grid, which allows taking into account the maximum range of factors when studying it, optimizing the functioning of the grid according to the selected priority and minimizing the risks of technological violations. Several R&D projects for implementation within the framework of the digital transformation of the electric grid complex were proposed by the Dean of the Electrical Engineering Faculty of the ISPU, Andrey Murzin. In addition, he expressed a number of initiatives on the participation of specialists of electric grid companies in the educational process of the ISPU in the field of digitalization. These and other proposals of the universities have been accepted by the power engineers for consideration.
“Our company and higher education institutions operating in the regions of its service area have been linked by many years of fruitful cooperation - and the digital transformation process launched at IDGC of Centre and IDGC of Centre and Volga Region opens up new prospects for its expansion. This also applies to the possibility of practical use of ready-made solutions and developments in the field of digitalization already available at the higher educational institutions, and using their intellectual potential to develop research and development for the specific needs of the Company, and to work together to train young promising personnel for the industry. Therefore, we intend to expand our cooperation in various areas, in a variety of formats,” stressed Igor Makovsky, General Director of IDGC of Centre - the managing organization of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region.
Please, be reminded that in 2019 IDGC of Centre - the managing organization of IDGC of Centre and Volga Region launched the first stage of the implementation of the concept of digital transformation. As part of it, by the end of 2020, 9 digital Distribution Zones and 10 digital substations will be created in the perimeter of the Company (in 20 constituent entities of the Russian Federation). 100% of the territory of its branches will be covered by digital radio. As part of this concept, work will be carried out on the complex automation of the 6-10 kV grid and the introduction of an integrated energy monitoring system in 31 Distribution Zones. In addition, in 2019, in all branches of IDGC of Centre and IDGC of Centre and Volga Region, within the framework of the implementation of the Concept of Operational and Technological Management of PJSC ROSSETI, work will begin on the creation of unified grid control centres (UGCC). Similar units - city dispatch centres - will be created in cities with a population of over one hundred thousand people. The UGCC will be equipped with digital communication channels and the most up-to-date information systems, which will allow online monitoring of the state of power grid facilities, remotely controlling switching devices, analyzing parameters, coordinating the work of field mobile and repair crews.
Implementation of the concept of digital transformation projects at IDGC of Centre will reduce the costs of maintenance, repair and operation of electric grid infrastructure facilities, decrease grid losses, significantly reduce the number and time to eliminate technological interruptions and, as a result, improve the quality and reliability of power supply to consumers.