Energy Talks

Welcome to the fourth episode of our Energy Talks miniseries titled, Why Should You Talk About Incident Response? OMICRON cybersecurity consultant Simon Rommer speaks with Stephan Mikiss, who is Head of Managed Security Services at SEC Consult and a SANS-certified forensics analyst. Together they discuss the steps of containment, eradication and recovery in the incident response process.

Recent headlines have reported that blackouts caused havoc in major infrastructure hubs, like London's Heathrow Airport. These incidents clearly demonstrate how being prepared is key to ensuring a reliable power system. In this 100th episode of Energy Talks, we feature parts of a previous episode to recall what OMICRON blackout preparedness experts Friedrich Almer and Daniel Wiesner describe as essential aspects of preventing and properly dealing with blackouts in power grids. We also give you some interesting facts about the last four years of Energy Talks.

In this episode of Energy Talks, Dr. Alex Apostolov talks about his innovative and influential career in both protection engineering and the digital transformation of power grids. Alex explains the significance of the IEC 61850 standard in modern power systems and highlights the challenges in the digital transformation of substations, such as adopting new technologies, the interoperability in multi-vendor environments, and the integration of renewable energy sources.

In this episode, we speak with a behind-the-scenes expert in power system testing. Karolina Molczan is a Software Quality Assurance Engineer at OMICRON. She tells us about her experience and responsibilities and how they contribute not only to the performance and reliability of power system testing solutions but also to the trust users place in them. Karolina also offers advice to those who want to develop in her area of expertise.

Welcome to the third episode of our Energy Talks miniseries titled, Why Should You Talk About Incident Response? Join OMICRON cybersecurity consultant Simon Rommer as he explores the different process steps involved in cybersecurity incident response with other experts from the power industry. In this episode, Simon speaks with Johann Stockinger, Head of Digital Forensics and Incident Response at the Deutsche Telekom Security Operations Center, about the importance of Identification in the incident response process.

In this episode of Energy Talks, OMICRON product manager and switchgear testing expert Andreas Nenning emphasizes the importance of testing different switchgear components, such as circuit breakers, and describes the specific tests performed on various types of switchgear throughout their lifecycle to ensure reliability and safety in power substations.

Welcome to the second episode of our Energy Talks miniseries titled, Why Should You Talk About Incident Response? Join OMICRON cybersecurity consultant Simon Rommer as he explores the different process steps involved with cyber incident response alongside other experts from the power industry. In this episode, Simon speaks with Tibor Külkey from ALSEC Cybersecurity Consulting, a leading OT security consultancy in Switzerland. Simon and Tibor discuss the critical importance of preparation, which is the first step in the incident response process.

In this episode, OMICRON partial discharge (PD) measurement and analysis expert Caspar Steineke offers a first-hand account of the last 20 years of OMICRON MPD technology and how it has revolutionized PD testing worldwide. He describes how MPD technology began in response to industry requirements for functionality that had not existed before, such as synchronous, multi-channel and highly stable, repeatable PD measurements with data recording for reliable post analysis.

OMICRON's 40-year history as a leading innovator in power system testing, data management and cybersecurity started with a vision for protection relay testing and the development of OMICRON's groundbreaking CMC technology. In this episode, Martin Pfanner, OMICRON product manager and one of the original CMC developers, describes the journey of the company from its humble beginnings in a basement to becoming a worldwide leader in protection testing technology and beyond.

The challenges in protection testing are manifold due to constantly changing grids and the prevailing skills shortage. With the CMC 500, OMICRON provides a future-proof solution and sets a new benchmark in protection testing. Stephan Geiger, OMICRON CMC 500 Product Manager, provides an insight into the development of the groundbreaking device.

In this episode, Josef Schmidbauer, an OMICRON expert in earthing (grounding) testing, discusses the implications of recent updates made to the EN 50522 standard. He highlights the recommended earthing (grounding) measurement procedures to enhance safety and reliability. Josef also discusses the importance of touch voltage measurements, interference suppression methods, and the advantages of the frequency-selective method for earthing (grounding) measurements.

In this episode, Lisa Gruber, Product Manager for Product Servicing at OMICRON, highlights the importance of regular calibration for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of power system testing equipment, and the factors that determine how often testing devices should be calibrated. Lisa also explains the differences between factory and ISO/IEC 17025 calibrations, emphasizing the significance of choosing the right calibration service. As an example, Lisa describes how OMICRON handles this essential area for its customers.

In this episode of Energy Talks, Naresh Soni from Akron Energy in India discusses the critical aspects of substation testing and the importance of time optimization in ensuring the reliability and safety of electrical equipment. He shares insights on the challenges faced in the field, the role of advanced technology and data analytics, and the future trends that will shape substation asset management. Naresh emphasizes the need for a systematic approach to testing and the adoption of innovative tools to enhance efficiency and safety.

Generators and motors produce the electrical power and propulsion needed to move maritime vessels like cruise ships, cargo ships, and tankers. But before any boat leaves a port, all its rotating electrical machines must be in top condition to ensure reliable operation on the high seas. In this episode, Christian Quell discusses how he and his team ensure the reliable performance of rotating electrical machines on ships. Christian is the co-owner and head of testing at E+A (Elektrotechnik und Aggregatebau), a company based in Bremerhaven, Germany, that specializes in rotating electrical machine testing, diagnostics, repair, and refurbishment for all types of ships.

Working with electricity is always dangerous, especially when dealing with high-voltage electrical equipment, where every task can be a matter of life or death. In this episode, we speak with Jakob Hämmerle, Safety Product Manager at OMICRON. He offers tips for power system testing safety in high-voltage environments and describes how life-saving features are included and continuously optimized in OMICRON power system testing devices.

In this episode, OMICRON Sales and Application Engineer Jere Polojärvi discusses how continuous training, open communication, and detailed documentation are essential to helping substation engineers work effectively in evolving power grids. He also introduces the critical aspect of red-pen documentation to indicate changes in original substation designs. Jera emphasizes the importance of an active feedback exchange between substation engineers, contractors, and asset manufacturers to reflect actual field experience.

Welcome to the first episode of our new Energy Talks miniseries, Why Should We Talk About Incident Response? Join OMICRON cybersecurity experts Andreas Klien and Simon Romer as they explore the critical roles of IT and OT in cyber incident response and disaster recovery alongside other experts from the power industry. In this episode, Andreas and Simon discuss disaster recovery from an OT perspective, using a recent CrowdStrike incident as a case study.

In this episode, we examine the current efficiency of protection relay testing. Protection relays and protection test sets have changed significantly over the last decades. Michael Albert, an OMICRON expert in test automation, discusses the increasing importance of protection testing efficiency and how efficiency measures can be easily implemented, performed, and measured.

In this episode, two highly experienced protection testing experts – Oliver Skrbinjek and Ignaz Hüber – talk about the challenges protection engineers face over time due to the transformation of energy systems, advancements in protection technology, evolving maintenance requirements, and keeping up with the latest developments to do their work effectively. Oliver and Ignaz describe these challenges and offer their experience and expertise to suggest ways to address them.

What is important to know about the EN 50522 standard for earthing/grounding systems? To find out, join us in this episode with our two guests, Christian Raunig and Theodor Connor, who are experts in the field of earthing/grounding, and give us an insight into the standard and the work of the standardization committees. Learn interesting details about EN 50522 and the latest revision.

This episode is Part 8 of our Energy Talks miniseries, Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyberattacks. OMICRON hardware developer Marcel Ströhle describes how hardware cybersecurity is crucial to overall system security because hardware devices are another potential attack vector that can be easily neglected. Through examples of actual hardware attacks, he highlights how important proper cybersecurity is for your hardware applications and offers tips to ensure it.

In this episode, OMICRON digital transition experts Florian Fink and Juan-Carlos Sánchez discuss how implementing digital tools, such as artificial intelligence (AI), helps optimize power grid reliability. They describe the advantages AI presents to the power industry in removing knowledge barriers and improving the efficiency and accuracy of daily tasks, such as analyzing data to predict and detect failures or to optimize energy distribution.

This episode is Part 7 of our Energy Talks miniseries, Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyberattacks. In this episode, OMICRON cybersecurity experts Ozan Dayanc, Christoph Rheinberger, and Lukas Schneider describe their involvement in an intrusion detection system (IDS) evaluation project conducted by a Norwegian utility and discuss how they successfully completed it using OMICRON's StationGuard intrusion detection system.

In this episode, OMICRON product managers Fred Steinhauser and Andreas Nenning discuss their active involvement in international engineering associations in the power industry. Most importantly, they describe how their direct involvement with these associations has enabled them to collaborate with industry peers to address trends and future end-user requirements.

In this episode, OMICRON voltage transformer testing experts Thomas Bischof and Felix Feustel introduce the new measurement method they developed to determine C-divider capacitance on capacitor voltage transformers (CVTs) using OMICRON's VOTANO 100 measurement system. They describe the significance of their new, patented measurement method and how it can now be automatically and reliably performed regardless of the CVT design.

In this episode, OMICRON partial discharge (PD) expert Caspar Steineke discusses what causes PD activity in Gas-Insulated Switchgear (GIS) and Gas-Insulated Lines (GIL) and when PD monitoring is best applied to closely observe its development. Caspar also explains how PARADIMO 100, the latest scalable PD monitoring solution for GIS and GIL from OMICRON, enables highly reliable risk assessment through defect classification and alerts users when to take action to prevent a failure.

"The risk of a large-scale and long-lasting power outage in Europe is increasing"—this statement reflects the view of many experts today. Therefore, specific procedures are already in place in the event of an emergency. In this episode, OMICRON Application Engineer Lukas Dieterich describes how specially trained engineers rehearse various scenarios so they can spring into action to restore our energy supply. He also highlights the challenges he faced in successfully supporting the largest grid restoration test to date in Germany.

Generators and motors are exposed to various stress factors during operation, which can cause damaging faults. Periodic tests are recommended to determine whether machine components must be repaired or replaced. In this episode, OMICRON rotating machines testing expert, Fabian Öttl, talks about electromagnetic imperfection measurements (also known as ELCID testing), which are performed to assess the condition of and detect damaging faults in the stator cores of large machines.

This episode is Part 6 of our Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber-attacks. In this episode, Andreas Klien, OMICRON cybersecurity expert and Business Area Manager for Power Utility Communication, discusses the differences and similarities of using OT technology in the aviation and electrical power industry sectors with his guest, Ron Brash, a renowned vulnerability researcher in the aviation industry and Vice President of Technical Research and Integration at aDolus in British Columbia, Canada.

In this episode, Caspar Steineke, partial discharge (PD) expert and co-developer of OMICRON MPD PD measurement and analysis technology, highlights essential aspects of PD testing on high-voltage electrical equipment. He describes the potential impact of PD and the importance of regular PD testing to know when to take timely action to prevent equipment failure. He also explains why PD testing will increase in importance and describes how easy it is to get started if you have not already.

This episode is Part 5 of our Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide you with a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber-attacks. In this episode, Andreas Klien, OMICRON cybersecurity expert and Business Area Manager of Power Utility Communication, discusses the security engineering of digital products used in the power grid with his guest, Sarah Fluchs, Chief Technology Officer at admeritia GmbH. Together, they debate the question, “Can power grid operators trust their manufacturers to ensure reliable cybersecurity?”

Opening a specially wrapped box is cause for great excitement, not just during holidays or birthdays. OMICRON customers experience the same excitement each time they receive and unpack their new equipment. In this Energy Talks episode, we will learn more about the OMICRON customer unpacking experience, why it is an important aspect of customer care at OMICRON, and what makes it so special for the customers of its power system testing, data management, and cybersecurity products.

This episode is Part 4 of our Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide you with a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber-attacks. In this episode, Anastasiya Shvetsova, OMICRON software quality assurance engineer, and Jaques Grobler, who is a full-stack developer at OMICRON, share their experiences, challenges, and innovations in developing our cross-cutting-edge cybersecurity products. From their daily challenges to their proudest successes and learnings, Anastasiya and Jaques provide valuable insights into their collaboration with other teams and the importance of their work in enhancing cybersecurity.

What are the challenges in the transition to digital substations? And why are we talking about a turning point in this evolution? Diego Gasca, Digital Substation Expert at OMICRON, will answer these questions and give us an insight into some exciting implementation projects. Diego provides us with details on engineering design, testing and commissioning, as well as operation and maintenance. In this context, he will examine exciting use cases, real-world problems, and their concrete solutions.

This episode is Part 3 of our Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid, in which we provide you with a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber attacks. OMICRON cybersecurity analysts Christoph Rheinberger and Eric Heindl describe common problems with cybersecurity in the power grid and the dedicated efforts involved in finding practical solutions. They also share their personal experiences, recommendations for IT and OT security officers, as well as valuable insights into how to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats.

What are the challenges and new requirements that decarbonization brings to power system testing? And how does OMICRON address them with the latest software update for COMPANO 100? Josef Schmidbauer, product manager for COMPANO 100, gives us an insight into current trends and challenges in the energy industry. He will tell us about the requirements for test equipment for different applications. We will also hear about the important role of customers and field tests in developing tomorrow's solutions.

This episode is Part 2 of our Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid in which we provide you with a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber-attacks. OMICRON application engineers Ozan Dayanc and Thomas Wolf discuss key challenges and practical recommendations for enhancing power network security. From daily work insights to customer interactions, they share valuable perspectives on cybersecurity in power networks.

Field protection engineers often face various challenges during testing within substations. When only simple tests or checks need to be performed, having the option to control the test set with a mobile device is not only more comfortable but also more efficient. But what does the development of a new mobile testing app involve? In this episode, Fabian Kolb, OMICRON product manager for CMC Swift software, gives you an insight into the development process of the CMC Swift mobile testing app.

In this fifth and final episode of our Energy Talks miniseries, called “Circuit Breaker Testing Around the World”, host Stefan Achberger speaks with two other OMICRON circuit breaker testing experts, Andreas Nenning and Ari Tirroniemi. They review the discussions in past miniseries episodes and verify the challenges faced with performing circuit breaker testing in different regions of the world. They identify that all tests discussed were performed with OMICRON's CIBANO 500. The device's multi-functionality and ease of use are highlighted.

This episode is Part 1 of the new Energy Talks miniseries called Cybersecurity in the Power Grid in which we provide you with a 360-degree view of how power grids can best safeguard their infrastructures from cyber attacks. OMICRON cybersecurity expert Benjamin Teudelhoff talks about the necessity for power providers to improve their cybersecurity practices. Specifically, he discusses the importance of bridging the gap between Information Technology and Operational Technology.

In this episode, OMICRON partial discharge applications engineer Roy Brusenbach talks about the challenges he faces when performing partial discharge (PD) testing and monitoring on critical electrical equipment at offshore substation platforms in the Baltic Sea. To meet these challenges, Roy offers tips for performing PD measurements and monitoring at sea, including how he prepares for the job and avoids getting seasick when traveling to his job site by boat and when he is on the moving platform. Lastly, Roy explains why PD testing and monitoring will be used more frequently – both offshore and on land – to assess the condition and reliability of critical electrical equipment.

In this episode, OMICRON field testing expert Marcus Stenner offers his tips for protection testing during commissioning. He talks about the various tests and how long it takes him to perform them before protection systems are put into operation at substations. Specifically, Marcus addresses the differences he encounters between protection systems in various regions of the world and how best to prepare for them before testing. He also highlights the advancements that have been made over the years to make protection testing more efficient.

Rotating electrical machines are critical for power generation and running critical processes in industrial applications. However, reliable performance can be compromised over time due to the stresses motors and generators are continuously subjected to when in operation. In this episode, we speak with David Hassmann, a project engineer at Baumüller Services – a company which specializes in the routine inspection, maintenance and repair of motors and generators. David talks about what causes machines to fail and describes the diagnostic tests that are performed to make reliable assessments about machine condition.

Blackouts, or unexpected electrical outages over large areas of a power network, are a major concern for electrical power utilities around the world. OMICRON application experts Friedrich Almer and Daniel Wiesner talk in this episode about how to reduce the risks and minimize the consequences of blackouts. They discuss the various causes for blackouts, and how power utilities not only plan and train for such events but also what they are doing in terms of prevention, such as the implementation of cybersecurity in their digital networks. Friedrich and Daniel also highlight the importance of power system diagnostic testing and monitoring to ensure that critical equipment is available to the power system when needed.

This is the fourth episode of our Energy Talks mini-series, called “Circuit Breaker Testing Around the World.” OMICRON Circuit Breaker Testing Expert Stefan Achberger is your host, and he speaks with other experts around the globe about the types of equipment used and which tests are commonly performed. In this episode, Stefan speaks with OMICRON expert Anas Abdulkhader about circuit breaker testing in the Middle East, including the predominant circuit breaker types used and which tests are performed. He also describes how the latest circuit breaker testing technology is making testing simpler for safe and reliable assessments.

In this episode, James Hill, President and CEO of MCF Energy Limited, explains why natural gas will continue to bridge the transition to renewable energy sources in Europe. He also discusses why the European Union regards natural gas as a green energy source, and how this is leading to increased natural gas exploration and production in the region. James also describes how his company is using advanced exploration techniques aided by machine learning to precisely locate natural gas reserves in Europe with greater efficiency and safety.

In this episode, Professor Michael Hartje, an expert for digital measurement and automation technology in power systems at the Bremen University of Applied Science in Germany, describes the connection between the digital twin and the monitoring, diagnosis and control of electrical equipment. He also highlights how the digital twin can be used as a single source of data about power equipment throughout its lifecycle, and how the digital twin supports decision making for the equipment's continued operation.

In this episode, we talk about a new measurement to detect coupling in cable shields, which can cause overheating and damage to parallel medium-voltage power cables. Our guests from OMICRON include Florian Fink, Application Expert for Industrial & Distribution Grid Testing, and Moritz Pikisch, Application Expert for Line and Ground Testing. They describe how the new coupling measurement performed during commissioning locates problems to enable timely corrective action.

Our guest in this episode is Wilfried Breuer, Managing Director of Maschinenfabrik Reinhausen and Chairman of the German CIGRE committee. He describes the growing use and impact of renewable energy and the challenges with handling the future energy demand. Wilfried also explains the increasing need for smart power grids and how the integrated use of the latest offline and online diagnostic solutions, performance management systems and even artificial intelligence will help operators ensure a safe, stable and reliable power supply in the future.

This is the third episode of our Energy Talks mini-series, called “Circuit Breaker Testing Around the World.” OMICRON Circuit Breaker Testing Expert Stefan Achberger is your host, and he speaks with other experts around the globe about the types of equipment used and which tests are commonly performed. In this episode, Stefan speaks with OMICRON experts Florian Predl and Tibor Congo about circuit breaker testing in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, including the wide variety of circuit breaker types used and which and how tests are performed. They also offer an outlook on how breakers might be tested in future.

In this episode of Energy Talks, we take you on an audio tour of the new OMICRON Customer Care Center (OCC) in Klaus, Austria. During our audio tour, we speak with OCC Project Leader Friedrich Almer, OMICRON Application Engineer Bernhard Engstler and OCC Training Administrator Julia Schneider. They tell us about how the idea for an expansive showroom for power system testing originated and how the OCC is enabling electrical power engineers to observe tests performed on real equipment – either in person or remotely around the world.