From response to resilience
A key message throughout the discussions was that improving reliability is not only about doing the same processes faster, but about doing things differently: strengthening grid visibility, improving prediction of potential issues, and combining preventive approaches with time‑critical response where needed.
As grids become more decentralized and complex, outage management can no longer rely solely on central systems and post‑event response. It must be embedded into how grids are designed, monitored, and operated across the entire ecosystem.
Outage management is no longer just about restoring power. It is about resilience by design.
One of the recurring themes at the forum was that better visibility enables DSOs to detect and locate issues more effectively, anticipate failures earlier, and support time‑sensitive actions where fast reaction is critical. This includes leveraging both system‑level intelligence (e.g., AMI, GIS, weather data, digital twins) and edge intelligence embedded in smart meters and grid devices for near‑real‑time detection and local processing.
Iskraemeco’s contribution
At the forum, Iskraemeco actively contributed to shaping the dialogue around these topics. As Conference Chairman, Klemen Belec, Director of BU Electricity, helped frame the discussions over both days, focusing on grid resilience, flexibility, and the evolving role of digital technologies in outage management.
In a technical deep-dive session, The Rise of Edge Intelligence in LV Networks, Klemen Žbontar, Lead Innovation Engineer, together with our technology partners explored how combining system-level intelligence with edge intelligence transforms smart meters into active grid sensors and actuators – enabling faster decision-making and improved grid resilience.
Together, these perspectives highlighted a shared industry understanding: outage management is no longer a standalone function, but an integral part of intelligent, resilient distribution networks.
As grids continue to evolve, the future of outage management lies in ecosystem thinking, where data, intelligence, and decision-making are distributed across the grid, not confined to the control room. For DSOs, this shift opens new opportunities to increase reliability, reduce risk, and build resilience into the grid.
Photos: TMB Group
