One of the key topics was the digitalization of networks. Ihor Saienko, Deputy Director of Business Development at the engineering company EKNIS, detailed how modern management systems help Distribution System Operators (DSOs) overcome the challenges of war and personnel shortages.
EKNIS is an EPC contractor with over 20 years of experience, having implemented more than 2,500 contracts in the last five years. The company possesses unique experience for Ukraine in creating digital substations (where fiber optics are used exclusively instead of copper cables), as well as integrating Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and distributed generation into the NPC Ukrenergo grids. In its projects, EKNIS uses equipment from global leaders: Siemens, Hitachi Energy, GE, and SEL.
In his presentation, Ihor Saienko detailed the key levels of automation currently being implemented in the Ukrainian energy sector:
1. EMS (Energy Management System) and Microgrid
In the distributed generation segment (facilities with a capacity from 10 to 100 MW), efficient power generation management is critical. This task is handled by EMS systems. An even more comprehensive solution is the Microgrid—local systems that combine generation (solar, wind, gas piston units), storage (BESS), and consumption within a single facility. A system built on Siemens solutions allows not only for flexible management of battery charging/discharging or power balance but also displays financial indicators (fuel costs, income). It can operate both in parallel with the main grid and fully autonomously.
2. Smart Grid: Intelligent Distribution
Smart Grid is the DSO level that manages the redistribution of energy among a large number of consumers and local microgrids. The expert demonstrated a real-life case of such a system operating at a Ukrainian substation: after damage and an unsuccessful automatic circuit recloser (ACR) attempt, the system independently identified the problem and switched the consumer to a backup power line without dispatcher intervention. The damaged section was put under repair, and the consumer did not experience a prolonged blackout.
3. DMS and ADMS: Digital Transformation of Dispatching
- DMS (Distribution Management System) provides visualization of the network topology, allowing the dispatcher to influence it in manual mode.
- ADMS (Advanced DMS) is the highest level of management. The system operates online, analyzes the network status, forecasts operating modes, and automatically executes complex control algorithms.
According to Ihor Saienko, EKNIS is already implementing such solutions for Ukrainian DSOs: dispatchers see entire cities in real-time with detail down to individual houses and understand where there is voltage and where there is none.
Automation as a Requirement of the Time
Summarizing the presentation, the speaker emphasized the most critical aspects of today—personnel shortage and safety. Today, automation has moved from the “innovation” category to the “vital necessity” category.
While previously a repair crew had to be physically dispatched to a substation to switch equipment on or off, today ADMS and Smart Grid systems allow this to be done remotely. This drastically saves time, optimizes human resources, speeds up power restoration for consumers, and, most importantly, saves the lives and health of power engineers.