Intelligent robots enhance power grid efficiency in Jiashan county

At the 110kV Weitang substation in Jiashan county, East China's Zhejiang province, an intelligent robot is quickly moving around and checking the electrical equipment one by one.

"We have been utilizing the robot for more than two years. Currently, each inspection only takes us about 1.5 hours," said Lu Panpan, a maintenance worker at the State Grid's Jiashan Power Supply Co.

Lu said the company has been devoted to advancing the automation of power grid over recent years, especially through introducing eight of such intelligent inspection robots.

Lu said the maintenance workers could see the whole inspection process, as well as record it, through a monitoring platform.

"The robots have not only reduced the frequency of manual inspections amid the ongoing hot weathers, but also enabled us to discover subtle electrical hazards more promptly," said Lu.

As a result, both the company's work efficiency and the stability of power supply have been significantly improved.

The company has also leveraged high-end technologies such as big data and edge computing to conduct real-time monitoring of the electrical equipment, predict electrical failures and provide early warnings.

According to Lu, the company will strive to equip all 24 substations across Jiashan with inspection robots, thereby further driving the digital transition of power grid.

liuzizheng@chinadaily.com.cn