2 min read

Arctic Utility Saves €40,000 in a Week with Predictive Maintenance

Company	Tunturiverkko
Location	Northern Lapland, Finland
Timeline	2023
Project Overview	Tunturiverkko implemented Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® to enhance predictive maintenance capabilities across its Arctic distribution network. By leveraging continuous monitoring and partial discharge detection, the utility identified multiple failing components before breakdown—preventing outages and generating significant cost savings.
Products	Safegrid Intelligent Grid System®

Featured Image (39) This is a Safegrid Case Study.

Background

Tunturiverkko is the northernmost utility in Finland, operating over 2,000 km of network across more than 7% of the country’s territory in Arctic conditions. The network includes long feeder spans exposed to extreme weather, making reliability and maintenance particularly challenging.

Historically, the utility faced recurring outages caused by component failures—especially overhead line insulator breakdowns—which are difficult to detect before failure using traditional methods.

Challenge

Tunturiverkko needed to address several key issues:

Frequent outages caused by insulator failures
Limited ability to predict faults before they occur
Difficult conditions for inspection in remote Arctic environments
High operational costs from reactive maintenance and emergency repairs
Need to reduce customer interruptions and downtime

Traditional approaches were not sufficient to detect early-stage deterioration in grid components.

Solution

Safegrid deployed its Intelligent Grid System® with continuous partial discharge monitoring to identify early warning signs of equipment failure.

Key capabilities:

24/7 monitoring of partial discharge activity
Identification of fault-prone areas using heatmaps
Accurate localization of developing faults
Actionable insights for proactive maintenance

Implementation outcome:

Three separate insulator failures were detected within one week
Fault locations were pinpointed quickly using Safegrid’s analytics
Field teams confirmed and replaced cracked insulators before failure

Benefits

The Safegrid solution delivered significant advantages:

Early detection and prevention of component failures
Reduced need for emergency repairs
Improved maintenance planning and efficiency
Enhanced grid reliability in extreme environments
Lower operational costs through proactive intervention

Results

With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, Tunturiverkko achieved:

Detection and prevention of multiple faults within one week
€40,000 cost savings on a single feeder
Faster fault localization and response
Reduced outages and improved customer service continuity

“Safegrid has helped us to locate and prevent component failures that we haven’t been effectively able to prevent. This has enabled considerable cost savings due to the predictive maintenance capabilities.”
— Heija Länsman, Service Manager

Conclusion

This case demonstrates the powerful impact of predictive maintenance in modern grid operations. By detecting early warning signs such as partial discharge activity, Tunturiverkko was able to prevent failures before they occurred—avoiding outages and achieving significant cost savings.

Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® enabled the utility to transition from reactive to proactive maintenance, delivering improved reliability, operational efficiency, and long-term value in one of the most challenging operating environments.