Abu Dhabi Power Corporation's subsidiary Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (Transco) and Siemens have jointly activated a new connected power transformer, Siemens Sensformer, at Transco’s Al Foah 220/33-kilovolt substation.

This is part of a pilot project that will use the generated data to improve the performance of the substation, said Transco on the sidelines of the 24th World Energy Congress held recently in Abu Dhabi.

The activation of the Sensformer at Al Foah is the first time the technology has been used in the UAE and the Middle East, it added.

These next-generation transformers act as information hubs and are equipped with a connectivity feature that transmits a defined set of data to a cloud-based platform application, it stated.

The programme visualises the information and provides real-time updates on the status and performance of assets, officials from both sides said.

"The installation and activation of this smart transformer is part and parcel of the digital transformation journey we launched under the umbrella of our vision to be one of the top quartile utilities in the world by 2024," remarked Dr Bruce Stedall, the Transco MD.

Dr Salem Al Harthi, the projects director, said: "It is also in line with the directives of our visionary leadership, aimed at meeting the increasing demand for water and electricity across the areas we serve in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and abroad."

"With this deployment, Transco and Siemens will have the needed information to start the digital journey in transmission products and pave the way for the Internet of Energy," remarked Rafiq Hussain, the senior vice-president, Siemens Transmission Products in the Middle East.

"Transformers are located at each critical node within the power grid and are exposed to various forms of electrical and physical stress. They are a vital part of power grids, no matter whether conventional or digital. Without a monitoring device attached, their real status is usually unknown," explained Hussain.

"Grids equipped with Sensformer have access to real-time measurements of oil level, top oil temperature, low-voltage winding and the GPS location of transformers," he added.-TradeArabia News Service