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Rovakaira detects faults with Safegrid’s IGS-system

Company	Rovakaira
Location	Northern Finland
Timeline	2023
Project Overview	Rovakaira implemented Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System™ (IGS) to improve fault detection and accelerate restoration across its medium-voltage network. With real-time monitoring and accurate fault location, the utility reduced outage times and enhanced operational efficiency in its extensive distribution network.
Products	Safegrid Intelligent Grid System®

Featured Image (53) This is a Safegrid Case Study.

Background

Rovakaira is a long-established utility company operating in Northern Finland for approximately 75 years. The company serves around 30,000 customers and maintains a 7,000 km distribution network across remote and challenging environments.

Historically, Rovakaira faced difficulties in locating faults quickly and restoring power efficiently, leading to extended outages and increased operational costs.

Challenge

Rovakaira encountered several operational challenges:

Limited visibility into fault locations across a vast network
Time-consuming fault detection and repair processes
Difficulty managing simultaneous failures
Prolonged outage durations affecting customers
Inefficiencies in resource allocation during fault events

The need for a more accurate and responsive solution became critical to improving overall grid performance.

Solution

In spring 2023, Rovakaira deployed Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System™ to enhance real-time monitoring and fault detection.

Key capabilities:

Real-time fault alarms for faster response
Accurate fault localization within approximately 100 meters
Improved visibility into complex grid events

Example incident:

A tree fell on an overhead line while a remote disconnector failed simultaneously
Safegrid precisely located the tree-related fault
Field crews were dispatched immediately to the correct location
Resources were efficiently allocated to repair both issues concurrently

Benefits

The Safegrid solution delivered multiple operational advantages:

Improved network transparency
Faster identification and resolution of faults
Enhanced resource allocation and field efficiency
Reduced time spent on fault searching
Better handling of multiple simultaneous faults

Results

With Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System™, Rovakaira achieved:

30% reduction in outage time
Accurate fault location within ~100 meters
Faster response and repair operations
Improved operational efficiency and cost savings

“Safegrid IGS-system has helped us to improve fault locating and repair faults faster. We have already in a short time been able to verify the benefits of the technology.”
— Yrjö Kallio, Maintenance Engineer

Conclusion

Rovakaira’s implementation of Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System™ demonstrates how advanced monitoring technology can significantly improve grid operations. By enabling precise fault detection and faster response, the utility reduced outage durations and optimized maintenance workflows.

This case highlights the value of real-time insights in managing large-scale networks, helping utilities deliver more reliable service while reducing operational costs.