Siemens increases availability of power grids with comprehensive transparency
Siemens is using advanced electrification technology to achieve comprehensive transparency in the low-voltage grid for the first time for the energy supplier IBC Energie Wasser Chur (IBC). Around 40,000 people in the greater Chur area will benefit from a secure and advanced power supply.
The energy transition poses new challenges for grid operators: decentralized energy feed-in, increasing loads, and high demands on voltage quality and supply reliability. A secure, data-driven solution that avoids extensive retrofitting is crucial for supply reliability. This is exactly where the Siemens solution comes in.
Easy installation in existing systems for maximum reliability
Over the next two years, IBC will equip 200 transformer stations and 290 distribution cabinets with intelligent, bidirectional Sentron 3NA6 COM low-voltage high-performance fuses and Sicam Enhanced Grid sensors from Siemens. The Electrification X IoT suite is a central application that provides continuous access to grid data, analyses based on performance indicators, and automated alarm messages. This increases responsiveness and improves control. A key advantage of the solution is that it can be integrated into existing infrastructures without complex installations. This supports energy suppliers of all sizes in creating data-based transparency, optimizing operational decisions, and making future expansion measures more efficient.
„Availability and reliability are essential for every grid operator. Data-driven transparency enables predictive operation and is essential for the resilient grid of the future. With our technology, we can increase usable grid capacity by up to 30 percent,” says Stephan May, CEO Electrification and Automation at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. „We look forward to supporting Chur on its journey to climate neutrality by 2040.”
Fit for the future: Maximum cyber and supply security
Encrypted data transmission is carried out using a certificate-based protocol that meets the highest cybersecurity requirements. With the help of the Distribution Grid Monitoring software from the Electrification X portfolio, grid operators can identify peak loads in advance, take targeted countermeasures, and plan investments efficiently. Continuous monitoring and automatic alerts increase supply security, reduce downtime, and improve maintenance efficiency.
«The energy transition is leading to noticeable bottlenecks in capacity utilization and voltage quality, but thanks to the solution from Siemens, we can drive forward digitalization at grid level 7 in an economical, secure, and reliable framework and already have future power supply requirements in view today,» says Radoje Krstic, Protection Technology Specialist at IBC.
Chur aims to become a climate-neutral city in terms of energy by 2040. Already today, around 88 percent of its electricity comes from renewable energy sources.
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