State Grid Deploys New Technologies to Ensure Power Supply During Heatwave

Robot dogs autonomously inspecting substations, drones delivering emergency repair materials, AR-assisted inspections... As Zhejiang and other regions issue red alerts for extreme heat, electricity demand has repeatedly hit record highs. Various kinds of new technologies and equipment are being deployed to tackle the "scorching" test and safeguard the power supply.

On August 9, inside the 500-kilovolt Cangyan Substation in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, a robot followed pre-set inspection routes and tasks. It conducted infrared temperature measurements, oil level checks, and defect identification on critical equipment like the main transformers, transmitting images and data to the control center in real-time.

Staff from the State Grid Shaoxing Power Supply Company explained that previously, technicians manually checked each point using thermometers and notebooks, a process that took about two hours. Under the blazing sun, completing a round would leave their safety helmets filled with sweat. Now, robots and robot dogs can complete inspections in just 30 minutes, significantly boosting efficiency.

In the air, drones showcased their versatility. Recently, a power line in Shengzhou, Shaoxing, was compromised by a tangled kite. An emergency team rushed to the scene overnight and immediately deployed an emergency lighting drone. With the illumination, four workers used a flame-throwing drone for 1.5 hours to successfully clear the obstruction.

What's more, AI and AR technologies are bolstering State Grid's efforts. Recently, Shaoxing Power Supply Company technicians used lightweight smart AR glasses to document entire power distribution room safety inspections via first-person video. This allows precise pinpointing of hazards during review. Field tests show these technologies reduce inspection time per substation by over 30 percent. The smart systems not only improve hazard detection rates but also enhance customer service perception.

At the Shaoxing Power Supply Company dispatch center, the "AI dispatcher" multi-tasks: reviewing operation tickets in morning procedures, verifying simulation schemes and line topology correctness in feeder automation (FA) processes, while simultaneously collecting fault data from tripped or grounded lines. It provides fault isolation and load transfer solutions, and calculates real-time outage impact metrics (customer-hours).

Facing the relentless "scorching test" of the heatwave, State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC) is leveraging intelligent, digital innovations to enhance grid resilience and response speed, building a robust defense for a reliable power supply. Moving forward, SGCC will continue empowering the grid with technology, using its responsibility to illuminate millions of households, delivering continuous coolness and light during the sweltering summer, and safeguarding the dynamic energy driving economic and social development. (By Lu Fengfeng)