Xiangyang Power Grid's "Digital Sentry" Neutralizes Load Risks Before They Surface

This past summer, amid record-breaking power loads and frequent extreme weather, the proprietary "Xiangyang Load Forecasting and Early Warning Analysis Application" developed by State Grid Xiangyang Power Supply Company maintained round-the-clock vigilance, enabling local businesses and residents to navigate peak demand seamlessly with stable voltage, reliable electricity, and uninterrupted production. With temperatures steadily falling and winter heating loads set to surge, this power grid "digital sentry" has once again entered high alert, gearing up for the upcoming winter peak demand.

Substation operation and maintenance personnel brief new employees on the application's working principles and operational workflows

Photo by Zeng Rong

Upon launching the application, dispatchers can view hierarchical data covering Xiangyang's overall load trends, load rates of main transformers and distribution lines, as well as overload risks in distribution transformer zones, enabling drill-down queries from the citywide level down to individual substations, lines, and zones. The system automatically calculates equipment load levels and issues tiered warnings based on month-ahead trends and day-ahead forecasts; if signs of heavy loading or overloading emerge, it can even trace the specific power consumption categories driving the surge. Leveraging this application, State Grid Xiangyang Power Supply Company has established a four-tier early warning and two-cycle risk assessment mechanism. During peak electricity periods, the system automatically compiles a prioritized list of high-risk power supply equipment, allowing dispatch teams to proactively optimize grid operation plans, transfer loads to other parts of the grid, and implement orderly electricity consumption measures, thereby preempting potential risks.

Moving from reactive response to proactive early warning, and from identifying risks to preventing them from affecting users, this evolution represents a profound transformation in grid management. For commercial and industrial consumers, the most noticeable benefit is that operations feel completely seamless: voltage is more stable, production runs without disruption, and orders are fulfilled without delays. (By Du Yuan, Li Junlei, and Zeng Rong)