Challenge
Herrfors, a Finnish utility operating over 1,200 km of 20kV distribution network – of which 850 km are overhead lines – faced persistent reliability hurdles. High winds, falling trees, and heavy snow accumulation regularly caused power line damage, leading to outages and higher operational expenses. The company needed a solution that could precisely locate faults in real time and predict future failures to reduce outage duration and enhance operational economics.
Solution
By implementing Safegrid’s Intelligent Grid System® in this challenging service area, Herrfors gained real-time fault detection capabilities to pinpoint problems – often within a single pole span. This level of accuracy was crucial for quick response, especially in extreme weather conditions. The system’s user-friendly interface provided clear fault locations, enabling field teams to rapidly identify ground faults and plan corrective measures.
Additionally, the Smart Fault Prediction feature helped Herrfors detect potential weak spots before they caused failures, allowing for proactive maintenance. This predictive approach – combined with timely alerts – offered a significant advantage over traditional methods, which often relied on manual patrols and risked leaving emerging faults undetected.
Result
With Safegrid’s technology in place, Herrfors achieved:
- Faster Fault Location: Accurate mapping helped crews respond immediately, reducing outage times.
- Reduced Operational Costs: Shorter downtime meant fewer trial-and-error inspections and lower emergency repair expenses.
- Higher Customer Satisfaction: More reliable power delivery translated into fewer disruptions for end-users, boosting overall satisfaction.
Conclusion
Through innovative fault detection and prediction, Herrfors now offers its customers greater reliability while lowering operational costs. Technicians and management alike appreciate the improved ease of operation and tangible results in both uptime and customer service.
“We are happy, our life gets easier, operational costs lower, and customer satisfaction gets better.” Henrik Snellman, Operations Manager, Herrfors Nät-Verkko
