Insulect Projects: Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution

Coastal Utility Locates Faults with 70 m Accuracy

Written by Admin | 14 Nov 2023
Company
Porvoon Sähköverkko
Location
Porvoo, Southern Porvainen, and Loviisa, Finland
Timeline 2023
Project Overview

Porvoon Sähköverkko implemented Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® to enhance fault detection accuracy and reduce outage durations across its coastal distribution network. The solution consistently delivered precise fault location data (even under harsh weather conditions), enabling faster repairs and improved service reliability.

Products Safegrid Intelligent Grid System®

This is a Safegrid Case Study.  

Background

Founded in 1900, Porvoon Sähköverkko operates a 3,700 km distribution network serving over 37,000 customers. Located along Finland’s coastal region, the utility frequently faces strong winds, storms, and challenging weather conditions, which can damage infrastructure and disrupt power supply.

To maintain high reliability and customer satisfaction, the utility sought to improve its fault detection capabilities and minimize outage durations.

Challenge

Porvoon Sähköverkko faced several operational challenges:

  • Difficulty locating faults accurately, especially during storm events

  • Prolonged outage times due to time-consuming fault identification

  • Increased impact of coastal weather conditions on infrastructure

  • Need for faster and more efficient field response

Traditional methods lacked the precision required to quickly identify exact fault locations.

 

Solution

Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® was deployed to provide real-time monitoring and accurate fault localization.

Key capabilities:

  • Precise fault location detection

  • Real-time insights into grid conditions

  • Consistent performance during extreme weather

Example incident:

During a storm, a transformer pole snapped, causing:

  • An initial earth fault

  • Followed by a short circuit fault

Safegrid successfully located the fault with approximately 70-meter accuracy, enabling rapid response from field crews.

Benefits

The Safegrid solution delivered significant advantages:

  • Consistent and accurate fault location

  • Faster identification of fault sites

  • Reduced reliance on manual fault tracing

  • Improved efficiency of maintenance operations

  • Enhanced resilience against weather-related disruptions

Results

With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, Porvoon Sähköverkko achieved:

  • Consistently accurate fault localization

  • Fault location accuracy within ~70 meters

  • Reduced outage durations and faster restoration

  • Improved operational efficiency during storms

“The Safegrid system has located grid faults consistently over time with good accuracy. This has helped us to find and fix faults faster.”
— Mikael Hämäläinen, Operations Manager

Conclusion

Porvoon Sähköverkko’s experience demonstrates the importance of accurate fault detection in maintaining reliable power distribution, especially in coastal regions prone to extreme weather. By adopting Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, the utility has significantly improved its ability to locate faults quickly and respond efficiently.

This case highlights how precise, real-time monitoring can reduce downtime, lower operational costs, and ensure consistent service delivery in even the most demanding environments.