- A total of 90,000 kilometres of medium- and high-voltage overhead lines, 1,311 substations and 144,000 distribution centres will be accessible at the click of a button
- e-distribución, Endesa's grid subsidiary, will take three years to complete the creation of the digital twin of the grid that brings electricity to 43% of the company's customers in Spain.
An exact replica of the electricity grid recreated by computer combined with real-time information on the physical conditions in which it is operating obtained by sensors. This is the digital twin that Endesa is deploying and which will open up new possibilities for managing the distribution grid of the future: from generating simulations in all possible conditions to carrying out preventive maintenance and interacting with field operators more efficiently and controlling in real time the operation of the various components of the grid that brings electricity to homes and businesses.
e-distribución, Endesa's grid subsidiary, has deployed 50 teams in Catalonia, Andalusia, Aragon, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and Extremadura, the areas where it manages the distribution grid, to complete the Network Digital Twin project that will enable the digitalisation of 144,000 distribution centres, 90,000 kilometres of high- and medium-voltage overhead lines and 1,311 substations over three years courtesy of an investment of 40 million Euros.
This year the plan is to digitalise around a third of the components that will make up the digital twin of Endesa's grid subsidiary, which last year distributed 43% of all the electricity that reached end consumers in Spain. In 2023 alone, 14.2 million euros will be invested in this project, which represents a further step in the design of the grids of the future.
For Endesa, which has a network of lines covering a distance equivalent to eight times around the earth over an area of more than 195,000 km2, having a virtual replica that facilitates preventive maintenance, remote operation and the inventory of the thousands of elements that make up the grid represents a significant advance.
And the benefits also translate into improvements for consumers. A digital twin that enables the location of a potential fault in the grid to be detected, assisting prevention, and the most efficient way to restore supply in the event of an extreme weather event to be simulated helps to reduce restoration times and improve customer service quality. A more efficient grid helps smooth the energy transition process, the integration of renewables and the development of electric mobility. The possibility of remote working also reduces planning times for grid maintenance and improvement tasks and also has an additional advantage: by avoiding the need for so many worker trips to our facilities, the company's carbon footprint is reduced.
Smart meters were the first step in the process of digitalising the grid, and every day new elements are being added such as remote controls, which enable remote supply restoration tasks to be carried out, and sensors, which provide us with real-time information on the condition of electrical infrastructure. The digital twin is another step in this process that is transforming distribution grids.
Cameras, helicopters and IoT networks
To create this digital twin, high- and medium-voltage overhead lines are digitalised from helicopters, while from the ground the same is done with more complex machines such as power transformers. These components are represented virtually and connected with sensors. The information is transmitted through IoT data networks so that the digital model can be simulated and operated remotely as if working with real assets, studying future behaviours, planning jobs and improving the resilience of the network without impacting customers.
The digitalisation of the various components of the grid allows workers to remotely consult the cloud of points of each of the digitalisations, in which millimetre measurements can be made and 360º photos can be displayed, facilitating any work without being on site at the facility. In addition, the detailed photographs of the name plates of the inventoried items, as well as the labels with their barcode help identify each component throughout its life, regardless of whether it changes location, which greatly assists inventory management.
The development of the distribution grid, which helps drive the energy transition, since it will enable the integration of a growing percentage of renewable generation, electric mobility and self-consumption, is a priority in Endesa's strategy.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. The company is also the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa operates an end-to-end electricity generation, distribution and marketing business. Through Endesa X, it also offers value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy usage in homes, companies, industries and Public Administrations. It is also the leading operator of charging stations in Spain through Endesa X Way, a business line dedicated entirely to electric mobility. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribution and corporate social responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our workforce numbers around 9,260 employees. Endesa is a division of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.