| Company | Tunturiverkko |
| Location |
Northern Lapland, Finland
|
| Timeline | 2024 |
| Project Overview |
Tunturiverkko leveraged Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® to improve fault detection and isolation in its 20 kV distribution network operating under Arctic conditions. The solution enabled precise localization of earth faults, allowing faster response, reduced outage duration, and improved operational efficiency. |
| Products | Safegrid Intelligent Grid System® |
Tunturiverkko is the northernmost electricity grid operator in Finland, managing over 2,000 km of network across 7% of the country’s land area. Operating in Northern Lapland, the company faces extreme environmental conditions, including cold climate, remote infrastructure, and difficult terrain.
Ensuring reliable electricity supply in such an environment requires fast fault detection, accurate location, and efficient field operations.
Tunturiverkko aimed to improve its ability to:
Accurately locate short circuits and earth faults
Quickly isolate faults to minimize outages
Reduce reliance on trial-and-error sectionalizing
Improve efficiency in remote and hard-to-access areas
A major test of these capabilities occurred in May 2024.
Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® provided real-time monitoring and accurate fault location insights.
Detection of multiple earth fault events
precise location of faults within the network
Real-time alerts enabling rapid response and decision-making
Safegrid detected and reported multiple earth fault alarms
Fault locations were identified near the start of a grid branch
Operators used remote switching to isolate the affected area quickly
Field crews were dispatched directly to the nearest manual switch to remove the faulty branch
The implementation delivered key operational advantages:
Accurate fault localization, reducing uncertainty
Faster fault isolation and restoration
Reduced need for trial-and-error fault sectionalizing
Improved efficiency of field operations in remote areas
Enhanced grid reliability in extreme conditions
With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, Tunturiverkko achieved:
Accurate detection and location of earth faults
40% reduction in patrol team time
Approximately 1 hour reduction in field fault search time
Faster isolation of the faulty section, reducing outage duration
Improved operational efficiency and reliability
A broken insulator in a pole transformer
A hanging phase conductor causing repeated earth faults
Resulting damage to the wooden pole due to burning
“Safegrid has helped us accurately locate earth faults, allowing us to find fault locations quickly and shorten outage times.”
— Heija Länsman, Service Manager
This case demonstrates the importance of accurate fault detection and localization in challenging environments such as the Arctic. Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® enabled Tunturiverkko to quickly identify, isolate, and resolve a complex fault scenario—significantly reducing response time and improving operational efficiency.
By providing real-time, data-driven insights, Safegrid helps utilities operating in extreme conditions maintain reliable service, reduce downtime, and optimize maintenance operations.