17.02.2026
Energy Club is gathering leading experts for the Energy Freedom online talk show “Networks Under Fire: Technological Solutions for the Resilience of Ukrainian DSOs” to discuss practical solutions for increasing the reliability of distribution networks and ensuring continuity of power supply in unstable conditions.
Among the participants of the online event on February 19 is Volodymyr Muzyka, Product Manager of the “Protection and Switching of Electrical Networks” direction at Vector VS. During his presentation, he will introduce automatic transfer switches (ATS) as a universal, rapid-deployment solution for facilities of varying complexity—from local systems to infrastructure with backup power sources.
In a conversation with the Energy Club media department, the expert focused on the practical application of these devices: he explained how they help reduce downtime for critical facilities, provide automatic switching between power sources, integrate into digital network management platforms, and adapt to the development of distributed generation. Special attention was paid to the requirements for modern switching equipment and the trends that will define its development in the coming years.
– Mr. Muzyka, what are the key challenges today for Distribution System Operators (DSOs) regarding the continuity of power supply, and what role can “out-of-the-box” automatic transfer switches play in overcoming them?
– The main challenges are the need to minimize downtime for critical facilities and protect equipment from unstable network parameters. Regarding “out-of-the-box” solutions, the VECATS series devices are ready-made monoblock solutions that combine the power section, motorized drive, and microprocessor controller in a single housing. This allows for precise automatic switching to a backup source (grid or generator) in the event of a failure without the need for complex engineering design.
– Tell us more about Vector VS automatic transfer switches: what technical or functional features make them an effective tool for rapid power restoration in emergency situations?
– Comprehensive monitoring: The devices monitor voltage, current, frequency, and phase sequence of both power sources.
Built-in controller: The controller automatically manages the starting and stopping of the generator, which is critical for autonomous power restoration.
Programmable delays: The presence of restoration and transfer delay timers (1–600 s) allows the system to be configured for the specific needs of the facility.
Mechanical reliability: The devices have a high short-circuit capacity (up to 70 kA peak values for 1600 A models) and are designed for a significant number of operating cycles (up to 10,000).
– How well do these solutions integrate into modern digitalized networks—specifically into SCADA systems or other Smart Grid platforms—and what does this provide operators in practice?
– Digital integration: The switches support RS485 and Wi-Fi communication interfaces (optional).
Remote control: The possibility of full integration into SCADA, PLC, or EMS systems allows operators to manage the device and monitor its status remotely.
Practical value: The operator receives real-time reporting, energy consumption analytics, and a detailed event history, enabling proactive maintenance and rapid fault diagnosis.
– Given the growing role of distributed generation and network instability, how are the requirements for switching equipment changing, and how is your company responding to them?
– Today, the energy system is changing rapidly: the share of distributed generation is growing, local sources—from solar stations to diesel generators—are appearing, and networks operate in much more dynamic and sometimes unstable conditions. This means that requirements for switching equipment already go far beyond the classic “on-off” function. Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to ensure power continuity in various scenarios are coming to the forefront.
At Vector VS, we respond to these challenges by developing solutions that can easily integrate into different types of power grids—from traditional three-phase to single-phase systems—ensuring correct operation with multiple power sources. The user gains the ability to flexibly define source priority and configure protection parameters for voltage and frequency according to the specific conditions of the facility.
Equally important is the issue of reliability: built-in algorithms for overload control and current imbalance help protect both the network and local generation sources from emergency modes, which is especially critical under increasing loads and instability. We see our role as providing the market not just with equipment, but with tools that help business and infrastructure remain resilient—regardless of how the energy landscape changes.
– What technological trends in the protection and switching of electrical networks do you consider decisive for the Ukrainian energy sector in the coming years?
– In the coming years, the Ukrainian energy sector will be defined by several key technological trends that are already changing approaches to designing protection and switching systems.
First and foremost is the decentralization of energy and the development of microgrid solutions. Businesses, communities, and critical infrastructure are increasingly moving toward models where local generation sources operate alongside the centralized grid. In such an architecture, switching equipment, particularly automatic transfer switch systems, becomes not just a protection element but effectively the “brain” that manages energy flows between the grid, generators, and storage systems.
The second important trend is universality and scalability. The market needs technologies that work equally effectively in small facilities and energy-intensive industrial systems, covering a wide range of loads and allowing for a unified control logic from 40 A to several thousand amperes.
The third direction is increasing safety standards. There is a growing demand for specialized functions, integration with fire alarm systems, and automated management of backup sources for fire suppression systems and other critical processes. These are no longer “optional extras” but a new baseline level of infrastructure requirements.
We are convinced that the future belongs to intelligent, flexible, and safe solutions that allow the energy system to remain resilient even in difficult conditions. This is the direction in which we are developing our products to support the transformation of Ukrainian energy.
Volodymyr Muzyka’s presentation at the Energy Freedom talk show will demonstrate that modern automatic transfer switches can become a key tool for increasing the resilience of Ukrainian distribution networks. Ready-made “out-of-the-box” solutions allow operators to quickly implement automation, reduce downtime for critical facilities, and ensure continuous power supply even under difficult conditions.
The integration of such devices into digital platforms, SCADA, and Smart Grid systems increases the efficiency of monitoring, analytics, and maintenance, while adaptation to distributed generation and flexible configuration allow for the reliable operation of facilities of various capacities. Such solutions form the basis for the development of a secure, autonomous, and resilient energy infrastructure ready for modern challenges.
