Insulect Projects: Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution

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

Written by Admin | 26 Oct 2023
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®

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.