A pilot project of the Grids Digital Twin has been implemented in the Kyiv region, – DTEK

Thermal power generation08 October 2024

DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids implemented a pilot project of the grids Digital Twin at the Irpin energy junction. This is a virtual copy of the real distribution grid, which takes into account all power facilities and their features. This technology helps energy workers identify weak spots in the grid and the most efficient ways to reinforce them. Therefore, after implementation of the project throughout the Kyiv region, it will allow reducing the number of emergencies, and, thus, interruptions of power supply for residents and business.

A pilot project of the Grids Digital Twin has been implemented in the Kyiv region, – DTEK

Creation of the grids digital model is a part of a 10-year project on modernization of the energy infrastructure of the “Grid of the Future”, which is being implemented by the DTEK Grids Distribution System Operators in the Kyiv region, as well as in Dnipropetrovsk and Odesa regions, and in the capital. During implementation of the pilot project, energy workers managed to digitalize more than 3,000 km of power lines and almost 1,500 power facilities in the Irpin-Bucha section over the course of a year.

Digital Twin is a “copy” of the grid in the specialized software, which is filled with data about the grids, their features, capacity, customers reliability categories, etc. This program allows simulating operation of the grid, distribution of load by elements, as well as predict emergencies.

“One of the components that the digital twin allows to ensure is reducing the time of outages. Thanks to the estimation of digitalized data, we can see which elements have low reliability, and will be able to plan reinforcement of these elements in advance. Or find an alternative way to energize the customers without an urgent reinforcement of elements, but rather plan this required modernization for the future. This way, we will improve reliability of power supply,” – explained head of the grid analysis and long-term planning division at DTEK Grids, Leonid Moskalenko during his speech at the technical forum “Digital communities: ІТ solutions for rebuilding and reliability of the region”.

Additionally, the Digital Twin pilot project was able to confirm achievability of improvement of target indicators, set in the Grids Development Concept. For example, it was assumed that an average time of emergency power outage per year in the Irpin energy junction will be reduced from 1,122 to 100 minutes a year (SAIDI). However, estimation of implementation of all planed measures based on the digital model shows reduction of SAIDI to as low as 80.5 minutes.

Next year, DTEK Kyiv Regional Grids plans to implement a “Digital Twin” throughout the region.