Info Support helps Enexis Future-Proof its Energy Grid

In the Dali project, 35,000 power stations are being equipped with smart hardware called the Dali box. This box makes much more information available from the energy networks. This data is then brought together in the Salvador platform, the software platform developed by Info Support. The combination of this platform, the Dali box and the Enexis IT Cloud is the basis for the smart energy network that offers Enexis more insight. For example, faster fault detection.

Jop Hoeijmakers, Service Manager at Enexis: “Previously, we only had insight into failures at strategic locations in the grid. Then we knew that somewhere between two strategic locations it went wrong, but not exactly where. Then a technician had to look at short-circuit detectors at several medium-voltage substations (MS substations) to find out where the problem was. Currently, each MS station is equipped with a Dali box connected to the central system and the technician can drive directly to the correct MS station. This is a good example of how the Dali box gives us more insight into the power grid.”

But not only smart technology was important in the Dali project, speed also played a major role. According to Hoeijmakers, rapid placement of the hardware was an important requirement. “If 35,000 new boxes have to be installed, you can save a lot of time and money with efficient installation.

Enexis opted for an app with a kind of installation wizard in it for the mechanics. From now on, when installing a new Dali box, they only have to scan a QR code attached to the Dali box and then the software sets everything up automatically. Then it is just a matter of verifying the measured values. Info Support has ensured that this app can be linked to the central software platform Salvador, where all data from the app is made available to the organization.

In addition, the new Dali box must fulfill another important but completely different task, namely: controlling street lighting in a better way. Hoeijmakers: ”Many people do not know that we, as the grid operator, control street lighting, which is an important public safety function. The hardware and software we used before was difficult or sometimes even impossible to maintain. In addition, we could not see, for example, whether we had switched the lights on or off properly everywhere. If street lighting then failed somewhere, we were dependent on signals from a municipality about non-functioning public lighting. With the Dali box, we can see centrally and immediately whether the lights are switched on or off.”

In addition to controlling the lighting, the security of this task also plays a major role. Switching off street lights can be seen as a target for cyber attacks. As a result, the Salvador software platform had to be separated from the Internet as much as possible and required strict ISO27001 certification. Joost van den Brandt of Info Support: ”As part of this certification, you have to describe and cover many risks, such as: what do you do if someone walks into the data center with a USB stick and data is tapped for an extended period of time? This includes measures such as sending encrypted information.”

In addition, the link between OT and IT played an important role. Van den Brandt: “On the OT side, a connection is made with the Dali boxes, which run offline and on-premises. The measurement values from these boxes are converted and enriched with meta-data and then sent to the central software platform (the IT side). Here the measurement data is stored and can be used in calculations, overviews and the like. I dare say that with this we have built a secure, affordable and reliable on-premises solution that also scales well. I am proud of this, because it shows that we are definitely the integration partner we want to be.”

Hoeijmakers also looks back on this project with pride: ”Network operators do have a somewhat conservative image and with the Dali project we are now putting up a high-tech solution. Five years ago I would never have thought that we would be so proactive and decisive in the energy transition. It really is the success story I have dreamed of.”