Problem
PT Vale’s mining operations in Indonesia, particularly at the crushing station, were frequently disrupted by electrical faults across a 30 km distribution network.
Locating these faults was a manual and time-consuming process, taking an average of 6.4 hours per incident and accounting for 63% of total downtime.
The impact was significant: during one period alone, 47 hours of power outages resulted in production losses of Rp49.5 billion.
Solution
To address this, PT Vale implemented Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® (IGS).
This sensor-based solution uses advanced algorithms to pinpoint fault locations in real time, delivering actionable insights directly to:
- the control room dashboard, and
- field teams via the GridGuardian mobile application
This enabled faster, data-driven response to disturbances without relying on manual fault tracing.
Results and Benefits
Faster Fault Resolution
- Fault location time reduced from 6.4 hours to 1.8 hours (–71%)
- Non-productive search time reduced from 63% to 22%
Financial Impact
- Rp4.78 billion in avoided losses per disturbance
- Rp28.7 billion saved across six post-implementation incidents
- Break-even achieved after the first disturbance
Operational Efficiency and Sustainability
- Manpower reduced from two technicians to one per fault
- CO₂ emissions reduced from 145 kg to 40 kg per incident
- Improved team morale due to reduced stress and faster resolution times
Industry Impact
Following its success, Safegrid’s IGS has been expanded to other parts of PT Vale’s network.
The project is now recognized as a benchmark deployment in Indonesia, marking one of the first large-scale implementations of intelligent fault location technology in a distribution network.