Robot helps advance smart grid maintenance

A robot developed by State Grid Jiaxing Power Supply Company for the live operation of substation switchgear has won several major technology awards, highlighting progress in the intelligent maintenance of power grids.

On March 5, the project — titled Key Technologies and Application of Live Operation Robots for Substation Switchgear — received the third prize of the Zhejiang Provincial Technological Invention Award and the first prize of the Science and Technology Progress Award from State Grid Corporation of China.

The technology aims to address long-standing operational challenges in substations and improve the reliability of the power supply for businesses and households.

The research team focused on several core technologies, including high-precision positioning, flexible operation platforms, and cloud-edge collaborative control strategies. Through a series of innovations, the team developed a robot capable of performing switching operations on an energized switchgear — tasks that were traditionally carried out manually.

The breakthrough allows robots to replace manual operations in certain procedures, improving operational safety while reducing outage time and enhancing emergency response efficiency.

First applied at State Grid Jiaxing in 2021, the technology has since been promoted across State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Company. According to the company, the efficiency of switching operations for a single bay has increased by 84.7 percent.

The project has obtained 19 invention patents and was evaluated by industry experts organized by the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering, who recognized it as reaching an internationally leading level.

The technology can be applied to switchgear operations in substations across various voltage levels up to 220 kilovolts. It is expected to play an important role in improving the reliability of the power supply for local economic development and daily life.

The successful development of the technology also reflects the research capabilities of the company's specialized innovation center for proactive defense technologies against substation equipment faults.

Looking ahead, the company plans to further promote the application of new technologies — including dynamic assessment and intelligent warning systems for power-related flooding risks during extreme rainfall and smart fire protection technologies for power systems — to ensure safer and more efficient grid operations.