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Preventing Unnecessary Trips with Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®

Company	E-Redes
Location	Portugal
Timeline	2025
Project Overview	E-Redes partnered with Safegrid to address recurring fault trips in its medium-voltage network caused by vegetation interference. By deploying the Safegrid Intelligent Grid System®, the utility gained real-time visibility into grid behavior, enabling precise fault location and faster response. This allowed E-Redes to reduce unnecessary outages and improve operational efficiency during challenging weather conditions.
Products	Safegrid 24/7 Online Measurement System Safegrid Smart Fault Prediction Tool

Featured Image (1)-4 This is a Safegrid Case Study.

Background

E-Redes manages a complex electricity distribution network where environmental factors (especially vegetation) pose a constant challenge. In regions with dense eucalyptus growth, strong winds can cause branches or bark to come into contact with overhead lines, triggering faults.

These vegetation-related disturbances are difficult to monitor and often result in repeated trips with autoreclosure. Traditional inspection methods require time-consuming patrols and may not accurately identify the source of the issue.

Challenge

E-Redes faced several key challenges:

Frequent trips with autoreclosure during windy conditions
Vegetation-related faults, particularly from eucalyptus trees
Limited visibility into exact fault locations
High reliance on manual inspections and patrols
Risk of unnecessary outages and operational inefficiencies

As noted by Luis Miguel Arniella Cano, Grid Infrastructure Lead Expert:
“We needed a system that could tell us exactly where a fault occurs so we can act quickly and avoid unnecessary outages.”

Solution

Safegrid deployed its Intelligent Grid System®, providing continuous real-time monitoring and precise fault location capabilities.

Key capabilities:

Accurate pinpointing of fault locations
Real-time grid monitoring and alerts
Data-driven insights to guide field operations

Implementation outcome:

Safegrid identified fault locations at three specific points in the network
Field inspections confirmed eucalyptus bark interference as the root cause
Maintenance teams were dispatched directly to the affected areas, eliminating unnecessary inspections

Benefits

The solution delivered significant operational improvements:

Precise fault location, reducing diagnostic time
Reduced need for widespread field patrols
Faster response to vegetation-related faults
Improved maintenance planning and efficiency
Enhanced operational confidence through real-time insights

Results

With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, E-Redes achieved:

Quick and accurate fault identification
Reduced risk of unnecessary outages during windy conditions
Targeted maintenance interventions at confirmed fault points
Improved operational efficiency and reduced field workload

Conclusion

By implementing Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System®, E-Redes successfully addressed one of its key operational challenges: vegetation-induced faults. The ability to accurately locate faults in real time enabled faster interventions, reduced unnecessary outages, and minimized reliance on manual inspections.

This case demonstrates how intelligent monitoring solutions empower utilities to proactively manage environmental risks and maintain reliable power supply, even under challenging conditions.