PSIcommand manages the operational processes with their specific requirements. This includes planned activities to maintain or expand networks as well as spontaneous service restoration tasks. If switching operations are required, PSIcommand’s switching order application and execution takes care of the process. What all these processes have in common is that field forces (“linesmen”) carry out the work in the grid and that documenting the activities according to legal requirements is mandatory.
PSIcommand offers the most return when the different modules work together. The different processes share resources and work on the same assets, so they constantly influence each other. Due to the integration, the process data is always up-to-date and makes the effects directly visible. One example of such cooperation is troubleshooting. It ties up personnel that consequently is not available for planned construction and maintenance activities leading to rescheduling of work.
In addition to the direct availability of shared information within PSIcommand, a shared admin-istrative, organizational and asset-related master data management offers additional efficiency potential. Planning on a shared data platform is much less error-prone, faster and more trans-parent than doing that using data silos.
Your advantages
PSIcommand supports step-by-step integration with your environment. "Everything can, nothing must" - Digitalizing information processing requires not only software solutions, but requires also adaptation and development of processes within the company. The stepwise introduction of PSIcommand modules has proven its value in many projects. It supports integrating insights and learnings made by the owner when using the system.
The company decides with which modules to start, selected are typically those with the highest expected technical and financial return. This supports gradually building up an integrative, value-adding system architecture. The advantages of this are manifold, since PSIcommand is
- Flexible | i.e., "adaptable through configuration"; basically all tasks can be configured in the system and do not require programming .
- Modular | i.e., "integrative, value-adding and stepwise implementation"; no “big-bang” approach is required. The organization can grow with the software installed.
- At the cutting edge | i.e., "AI-driven decision-making"; PSIcommand can be extended with a AI-based module facilitating planning and decision making for high numbers of tasks to execute.
- Connectable | i.e., "Numerous product interfaces available"; PSIcommand interfaces with other systems by means of highly flexible industrial standard interfaces.
- Resilient | i.e., "High availability is essential"; PSIcommand offers high availability already by system design.
- Standardized | i.e., "extensive functionality and customer-oriented developments"; PSIcontrol has comprehensive functionality and development.
- Integrated | i.e., “consistent IT/OT processes”; seamless integration of IT and OT processes.
- Digital field crew support – i.e., using the PSIgridmobile on mobile devices.
Benefits at a Glance
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Flexible Modeling tasks and controlling execution as well as the technical administration support an au-tonomous and continuous improvement of the operating processes.
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Connectivity PSIcommand is able to "plug into" heterogeneous, individual environments und standard inter-faces.
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Modular PSIcommand’s modular concept enables step-by-step expansion. Each newly added module benefits from the already established master data management and other integrative added values.
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Integrated PSIcommand integrates the different steps in field force management. It support mobile devices, classic "on-premise" solutions, private and public cloud and more.
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Resilient Thanks to its system architecture, PSIcommand is resilient - failures are managed system-wide. Cyber security based on ISO 27001 and the BDEW Whitepaper is a standard feature.
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At the cutting edge PSIcommand offers AI methods for multi-criterial decision support in field crew deployment and for the long-term prioritization of activities.
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Standardized PSIcommand offers a comprehensive set of functions developed in cooperation with grid operators. Continuous development of PSIcommand makes sure that new market requirements become part of the function scope.
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Digital in the field PSIgridmobile provides the seamless integration of field crews with the digital processes of managing the grid infrastructure.
Features
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Fault documentation for power and gas The field crews collect data during the fault assessment and service restoration processes. PSIcommand integrates such information with the fault report. This pertains to the type of service interruption, the time of detection and the duration of the fault as well as the root cause and the impact on the grid. Fault information can be imported via interfaces. PSIcommand supports the report types FNN Scheme A, FFN Scheme B and DVGW. The provided administration tools facilitate creating new report types for other media.
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Asset management The resulting data gathered through the maintenance and planning processes can be used to evaluate the assets. Structured by AI, these data support strategic decision-making for scheduling maintenance tasks.
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Mobile application for field crews The PSIgridmobile mobile app connects the field crews to PSIcommand and supports service restoration and switching management processes. It offers information on the assets, upcoming work (i.e., the work schedule) and standardized as well as free text feedback options. PSIcommand’s support is comprehensive and media spanning: It is irrelevant whether the task is to execute switching operations with more than one team in the distribution grid, to inspect gas pressure regulating stations or to restore service to customers at night.
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Integrating AI into the planning processes Many processes require complex decisions. AI can take such decisions based on rules without emotions and in a reproducible manner. PSIcommand uses AI support for strategic tasks in asset management, tactical capacity analysis, operational scheduling decisions and acute daily optimization. Digitalizing planning processes saves time and offers efficiency potential. Highly qualified resources are unloaded, changing constraints are promptly incorporated into new planning, and far-reaching decisions are facilitated by providing and evaluating alternatives. This allows to extend the planning horizons, increases transparency and to support reacting early to capacity constraints. In addition, the important planning know-how for decision-making is secured in the long term.
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Connection to grid management Carrying out construction and maintenance operations often leads to requirements for grid control, i.e., switching operations. Integrating PSIcommand and PSIcontrol offers therefore relevant reduction of efforts for network management and asset service compared to separate processes. PSIcommand supports all switching operations with the integrated switching order management. It cooperates with PSIcontrol to reduce data entry problems. The integration of PSIcontrol and PSIcommand facilitates service restoration. The PSIcontrol system acquires the data, determines the fault location and relays the information to PSIcommand for fault reporting and, if applicable, field force support
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Integration with customer IT A set of interfaces facilitates PSIcommand’s integration with customer's IT systems. The customer can manage the information in the external or the PSIcommand system. Such information is, for example, asset data, billing data, construction and maintenance orders or duty and on-call schedules.
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Company information portal PSIcommand supports management decisions by a problem-focused view and a unambiguous display of data logged or calculated in the system. Field crews benefit in their daily work from work and asset histories in PSIgridmobile running on mobile devices.
Modules
Service restoration
The process of fault clearance for energy infrastructure is often highly complex and usually urgent. In PSIcommand, this task is divided into the processes of trouble call taking and fault message processing.
Call taking is the initial step required for localizing the fault, prioritizing the required actions and assessment of the damages. Fault situations can be reported by telephone or via technical interfaces.
The management of (provisional) service restoration is part of the service restoration process. This includes the accurate identification of required specialist personnel, the error-free transmission of fault data, fault documentation and communication within and outside the company.
Working on the power grid harbors the risk of personal injury. PSIcommand logs all information and stores it in a way that will stand up in court.
Construction & maintenance management
Construction and maintenance management usually works with an order backlog that has to be processed within a defined time (e.g., a year). The user can enter such works request manually or import them from other systems (e.g., asset management systems). The basis of efficient construction and maintenance management are the pool of actions and an optimized planning of employees and resources.
The PSIcommand planning board offers you effective scheduling and is subject to a completeness check. Coping with planned and short-term absences are part of the dispatcher's daily business. Dispatching errors due to lack of qualification of the field crew, delays or understaffing are displayed during dispatching and are subsequently visible in the planning board. Qualicision can take over all planning decisions completely or partially (with Qualicision filling in open slots only) to create the plan.
Switching order management
The switching management offers efficient planning and execution of switching actions. PSIcommand’s planning module detects collisions and bottlenecks in the network, manages gensets and disconnection areas or step lists can be planned and managed. The switching execution module cooperates with the PSIcontrol network control system and supports checking and executing a list of actions in the current grid status. The crews receive the switching order together with the list of operations to carry out digitally on their mobile device. The PSIgridmobile app supports requesting and executing operations. PSIcommand coordinates the grid control room and the various switching teams in the grid.
Asset management
The data from the maintenance and planning processes can be used to assess the asset status. AI categorizes the data on which strategic decisions on maintenance work are taken.
Areas of application
PSIcommand can be used for a wide range of tasks – independent of network size or sector it is used for. Down below, we explain the areas of application in detail, in which PSIcommand is al-ready successful in use by customers.
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Transmission, subtransmission and distrivution grid operators
PSIcommand supports the processes of construction and maintenance, service restoration and switching operations in transmission, subtransmission and distribution grids. In this application area, PSIcommand cooperates with PSIcontrol in order to benefit from the integrative functionalities, particularly in service restoration and switching order management.
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Distribution system operators and municipal utilities
Distribution grids in urban areas have their own specific characteristics. A high grid density and the combination with other energy sources (e.g., gas, district heating, water) and public transport (e.g., light rail or tram) place special demands on the interconnected processes. This applies to strategic expansion planning and maintenance, as well low voltage switching, where the regulations and requirements for become more and more complex. Due to its flexibility, PSIcommand is the ideal tool for municipal utilities regardless whether they are serving the public with a single or combined energies. PSIcommand supports a comprehensive and adaptable processes, which can be adapted to the ever changing legal and technical situation.
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Industry
PSIcommand supports industrial networks. Independent of the media used, all typical maintenance, service restoration and switching tasks. Their specific processes can be modeled in the system.
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Traction Power Grids
The grid structures of the traction power supply and utility grids are similar yet different. PSIcommand manages work on the traction power grid as well as in railway stations.
Typical Users
Management (head of control center)
PSIcommand gives the management in the offices an up-to-date overview of what is happen-ing in the grid.
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Maintain an overview
Management has the information about all planned and ongoing activities in the grid and their processing status at any time. They retain an overview even in the event of a crisis
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Strategic KPIs
Decision-makers can use the dashboard to find out about KPIs relating to the service interruption. Qualicision also provides a transparent KPI display of the results of automatic construction and maintenance planning.
