Tieto and electrical grid companies invest in the digitalisation of operations

Tieto and three electrical grid companies are automating the management of network assets. The new solution improves the administration, development and delivery reliability of the electricity distribution network, and provides multifaceted services to the different network user groups.

Society is increasingly dependent on electricity distribution. For this reason, the Electricity Market Act, which was revised in 2013, set targets for the delivery reliability of electricity. Achieving these targets requires large-scale grid refurbishment investments from electrical grid companies over the next 15 years, particularly those operating in the countryside. Tieto, Järvi-Suomen Energia, PKS Sähkönsiirto and Savon Voima Verkko are jointly developing a comprehensive digital system for grid management, allowing for the efficient planning and implementation of grid work.

The new grid management system will take into account the importance of monitoring the overall status of grid-related projects and work, and the supply chain to an external party handling planning, construction or maintenance. Data in information systems will also be analysed and utilised in a new way, allowing maintenance work to be targeted at critical sites. Electronic services that are independent of time and location, along with an unbroken chain of information, guarantee the reliable transfer of information without manual steps.

- The stricter criteria for delivery reliability in the new Electricity Market Act will change the structure of the electrical grid more than any other thing or event in dozens of years. In order to be able to efficiently complete this very large investment programme, we will need functional and powerful information systems to support the design and construction processes. We have been working in cooperation with Tieto on the development of information systems for years now, and Tieto was therefore a natural choice as the supplier of the new comprehensive information system. We are particularly satisfied in the way the system is being built, as we have a say in the outcome of the work at every stage of the project, says Matti Ryhänen, CEO and President of Savon Voima Verkko.

- The delivery reliability requirements set for electricity distribution and changes in consumer behaviour require electrical distribution companies to have multifaceted digital services, real-time information acquisition, and more dynamic, flexible processes. The current IT solutions of the grid companies must also be integrated into the new requirements. Our long-term partners, Järvi-Suomen Energia, PKS Sähkönsiirto and Savon Voima Verkko, are pioneers, and we are very happy to be able to continue the development of digital services in cooperation with them, says Timo Karpola, Head of Customer Cluster, Finland & Baltic, Energy Utilities at Tieto. 

The service portfolio designed for Nordic electricity distribution companies also includes separate electrical mobile devices used off-road, allowing data to be stored at the time it is created. The grid company's partners and customers can also report their observations, such as information on an incident, to the grid companies, and information received from customers is increasingly utilised in grid management.

The solution under development will complement Tieto's current general planning, grid task management, situational awareness, and off-road application systems designed for Nordic electricity distribution companies. The Energy Utilities cloud solutions offered as a service also meet strict information security requirements by utilising the private cloud platform located in Tieto's Nordic data centres.

For more information, please contact:

Timo Karpola, Head of Customer Cluster, Finland & Baltic, Energy Utilities, Tieto
phone: +358 40 5077 196, e-mail: timo.karpola[at]tieto.com

Matti Ryhänen, CEO and President, Savon Voima Verkko Oy
phone: +358 44 723 7450, e-mail: matti.ryhanen[at]savonvoima.fi

Tieto is the largest IT services company in the Nordics providing full lifecycle IT services. We also provide global product development services for companies in the communications and embedded technologies arena. Through industry insight, technology vision, and innovative thinking, Tieto proactively strives to inspire and engage our customers in finding new ways of accelerating their business.

Building on a strong Nordic heritage, Tieto combines global capabilities with local presence. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Tieto has over 13 000 experts in more than 20 countries. Turnover is approximately EUR 1.5 billion. Tieto’s shares are listed on NASDAQ in Helsinki and Stockholm. www.tieto.com

Järvi-Suomen Energia Oy is a distribution grid company that is part of the Suur-Savon Sähkö Group. Its professionals take care of the construction, operating and maintenance of the almost 28,000 kilometre-long electrical grid, and customer service related to grid operations for over 100,000 customers. Its turnover is EUR 76 million, and it employs 26 people. www.jseoy.fi

PKS Sähkönsiirto Oy (PKSS) is an electricity distribution company in Eastern Finland. PKSS is building, maintaining and developing reliable electric power distribution systems for electric power producers and consumers in rural areas. Prevent disturbances and quick reaction to problems is essential in PKSS services. PKSS is using external service providers for maintenance and construction operations. PKSS serves 88400 individual customers and total length of the grid is 22 000 km. The annual turnover of PKSS Sähkönsiirto was 49 million euros in 2014 and the amount of investments was 28 million euros. The total amount of electric power transmitted was 1102 GWh. PKSS has 41 employees. PKSS belongs to the PKS corporation. www.pks.fi

The Savon Voima Group comprises the parent company; Savon Voima Verkko Oy, which produces electricity transmission services; and Savon Voima Salkunhallinta Oy, which offers energy industry investment services. The company's business includes the production, sales and distribution of electricity and heat, and expert services for the energy industry. Savon Voima Oyj is owned by Savon Energiaholding Oy, which in turn is owned by 21 municipalities located within Savon Voima's electrical grid area. With its turnover of around EUR 188 million (2014), the company is one of Finland's largest sellers of energy services. Savon Voima employs around 180 professionals, and in addition to its own personnel, it annually contracts out over 300 person-work years to its partners. The Savon Voima Group is a regionally stable investor and infrastructure developer. In 2014, the Group invested over EUR 53 million in fixed assets. www.savonvoima.fi