3.2.11 Innovations

The Board of Directors adopted the OAOOpen Joint-Stock Company IDGCInterregional Distribution Grid Company of Urals’ 2020-2024 Innovation Development Program to be potentially extended till 2030^[31]. The 2021-2025 mid-term implementation plan was revised and approved as a part of the 2020 Innovation Development Program progress report^[32].

The following key directions of innovation-driven development were set to enhance efficiency of the program planning and implementation:

1. In terms of technological innovations:

— State-of-the-art technologies and solutions – activities related to the usage of new materials, isolations, equipment in primary business processes (current limiters, controlled devices, new-type wires with improved electrical conductivity and durability, new-type isolators, power electronics, etc.);

— Digitization of management and technological processes – transition from analogue to digital principles of control over relay protection and emergency automation, automated process control systems, metering and telecommunications (digital measuring transformers, digital network equipment, shift to digital substations); digitization of production asset management; launch of digital monitoring in the networks and at substations;

— Enhancement of grids flexibility – development of network properties to enhance resilience to network disturbance and automated restoration of normal operations (adaptive relay protection and emergency automation, control systems, logic automation, digital on-line network model).

2. In terms of organizational and marketing innovations:

— Designing new and systemic re-engineering of existing business processes through the lens of end-to-end performance (management of production assets, management systems, front-end services, management of life cycles of the system, lean production practices);

— HR management innovations (implementation of HR management technologies, relevant to this day);

— Shaping innovative environment around the Company (collaboration with innovative companies, scientific and educational institutions dealing with scientific and technical issues by partnership in technological platforms, implementation of cooperation agreements with anchor higher education institutions).

The goal of the Company’s Innovation Development Program for the mid-term and long-term (till 2030) periods is to shift to the new-generation innovative network with game-changing properties related to reliability, efficiency, availability, controllability and customer-centricity.

2. Transition to digital smart grids with distributed intelligent automation and control system.

We completed projects related to the roll-out and development of smart metering (0.4-110 kVkilovolt) in Permenergo, Sverdlovenergo and Chelyabenergo branches. The goal of the project is to create a customer-centered automated metering system with smart metering functions (remote reading of metering parameters, incl. billing and load limitation/disconnection; remote collection of consumption data; multi-tariff function; monitoring of meter status; data exchange).

Innovative technologies implemented:

• Smart metering system is based on the usage of smart meters united into one system of automated control and recording. To get the system working, a new-generation meter is mounted on a power line tower. The meter transfers consumption metrics to the dispatcher and customer’s display. Two-way GSM/GPRS communications enable to monitor the system in real time, control electricity supply and rapidly detect losses and attempted electricity thefts. Alongside with the installation of the automated metering system, cable entrance points are reconstructed: old-generation wires are replaced with self-supporting insulated wires, which provides higher quality of energy supply and reduces unauthorized connections to zero. Implementation of state-of-the-art automated systems of control and recording of electricity consumption makes it possible to arrange remote metering on any facilities and perform remote switching off/on;
• Customer services and CRMclient relations management (management of electricity supply and demand).

Effects from implementation:

• reliable metering at points of delivery at responsibility boundaries of multi-family and single-family houses;
• reliable metering at points of delivery for consumers connected to networks with peak losses and consumption;
• location of electricity loss centers through upgraded metering systems on 6(10)/0.4 kVkilovolt substations making it possible to prepare balances of main substations with problematic feeders;
• minimization of expenses on metering automation (per metering point).

2021 achievements:

• exclusion of in-house losses (in multi-family houses) from electricity purchased to compensate losses;
• reduction of losses on selected network sections (by enhanced accuracy of metering and reduced unmetered consumption);
• growth of net supply (same as previous, plus monthly billing using metered values as of the end of each calculation period);
• reduction of operating expenses related to meter maintenance (manual data collection, manual data input, instrumental inspections).

2021 expenses in Permenergo: RUBruble 434.12 million (target), RUBruble 400.37 million (actual); 2021 expenses in Chelyabenergo: RUBruble 72.39 million (target), RUBruble 58.57 million (actual); 2021 expenses in Sverdlovenergo: RUBruble 10.30 million (target), RUBruble 144.24 million (actual). Varience from target figures is due to revision of investment program during 2021 (transfer and increase of expenses in 2021 in Sverdlovenergo) and due to long-term procurement procedures and cancelled tenders (in Permenergo, Chelyabenergo).

4. Application of the latest technologies and materials.

Goals of the project: implementation of a pilot project related to use of innovative wires for aerial power lines. We plan to use innovative wires on the following facilities:

–     Reconstruction of 110 kVkilovolt “Gornaya — Metanol” (circuit II), “Kizelovskaya GRES-3 — Gornaya” (circuit I) power lines (Stage 1) (10.534 kmkilometer);

–     Reconstruction of 110 kVkilovolt “Gornaya — Metanol” (circuit I), “Kizelovskaya GRES-3 — Gornaya” (circuit II) power lines (Stage 2) (9.873 kmkilometer);

–     Reconstruction of 110 kVkilovolt “Kizelovskaya GRES-3 — Gornaya” (circuits I,II and branch lines) (Stage 3) (3.9 kmkilometer).

Effects from implementation:

• reduction of incidents, unscheduled repairs and repeated tension;
• extension of power line faultless lifetime;
• enhancement of reliability of electricity supply.

2021 achievements: we completed design and survey works, comparing innovative wires, purchased equipment (incl. innovative wires and line fittings) and started construction and assembly works. In 2022, we plan to complete C&Aconstruction and assembly works and acquire innovative conductors. 2021 expenses totaled RUBruble 34.40 million (target), RUBruble 34.40 million (actual).

 

	Expense target value, RUBruble million (net of VATvalue-added tax)	Expense actual value, RUBruble million (net of VATvalue-added tax)
Transition to digital substations	8.27	7.77
Transition to digital smart grids with distributed intelligent automation and control system	549.57	608.45
Transition to end-to-end performance of business processes and automation of control systems	10.00	15.21
Application of the latest technologies and materials	34.40	34.40
Total:	602.24	665.83

	Expense target value, RUBruble million (net of VATvalue-added tax)	Expense actual value, RUBruble million (net of VATvalue-added tax)
Transition to digital substations	8.27	7.77
Transition to digital smart grids with distributed intelligent automation and control system	549.57	608.45
Transition to end-to-end performance of business processes and automation of control systems	10.00	15.21
Application of the latest technologies and materials	34.40	34.40
Total:	602.24	665.83

There were 3 research and development works during 2021, according to the mid-term plan on the implementation of the Innovative Development Program:

Key 2021 achievements:

— Design and engineering documentation to the automated system for handling of keys (services, devices, software, software components, components, required for system operations) prepared;

— Drafts of administrative and regulatory documents regarding accommodation of equipment in DPC prepared;

— A draft of the Standard (Requirements to the technology-facilitated arrangement of recording, storage and delivery of keys) prepared;

— A draft of the Standard (Functional and Technical Requirements to equipment used for grid facility monitoring systems) prepared;

— Technological documentation dealing with system application prepared.

Key 2021 achievements:

— Project solution on creation of software and interface prepared;

— Software and methodologies for testing procedures and algorithms of the system and interface prepared;

— Algorithms and procedures of functioning, required for creation of system software, incl. integration components, developed;

— Interface for system’s and infosphere’s interaction developed;

— Interface for users’ and system’s interaction developed.

Key 2021 achievements:

— communications test schemes installed, signal routing with simulated incidents studied (Apollo and Neptune equipment);

— recommendations on the arrangement of telecom channels for RPArelay protection automation signals passage via PSN;

— passage of signals via digital networks, based on various technologies, compared.

 

	MU	2019	2020	2021	2021/2020, %
Expenses on innovations	RUBruble million	492.71	520.71	665.83	127.87%
R&Dresearch and development expenses	RUBruble million	31.75	22.69	31.51	138.87%

	MU	2019	2020	2021	2021/2020, %
Expenses on innovations	RUBruble million	492.71	520.71	665.83	127.87%
R&Dresearch and development expenses	RUBruble million	31.75	22.69	31.51	138.87%