Digitizing incident handling process
Previously, in spite of very urgent work implementation, the stages to overcome electrical incidents still took a long time. Overcoming this situation, EVNHCMC has digitized the incident handling process and implemented applying mobile device in electrical incident handling for customers. Accordingly, all the stages from transferring to receiving information between its Customer Care Center - Load dispatch department - on-site workers are implemented on Internet.
Particularly, after receiving customer information and saving it to the computer, transaction staffs will immediately transfer the information to the Load dispatch department by the software system. The Department will receive and transfer the information to staffs who are working near the customer’s address. Each team of two workers is equipped with a smartphone or tablet connected to the Internet and located to receive information from the Department, etc. After the job completion, the worker will lock the requirement sheet on the software and continue to perform a new task.
In accordance with EVN’s regulations, the duration of incident handling required by customers will not exceed 2 hours after receiving such incident. However, EVNHCMC is currently striving to shorten the duration of incident handling for customers to no more than 75 minutes, minimizing the duration of power outages for customers.
All customer requirements being transferred to units by Customer Care Center through software system, helping to speed up incident handling process.
Automating power grid
Along with digitizing the process of receiving and handling electrical incidents, Mr. Luan Quoc Hung - EVNHCMC’s Head of Technical Department said that the Corporation had established a Remote Control Center, with the key factor of SCADA/DMS system, invested in equipment with modern functions such as: Hardware and software systems with 1-1 backup; software integrated with the Geographic Information System (GIS - Geographic Information System) of power system, which provides a vivid visual interface, functions of optimal calculation, power grid automation, management of smart-grid areas. EVNHCMC had also implemented remote control for 100% of un-manned 110kV substations and 80% of medium-voltage power grids.
During the development of storm No. 9 in 2018, all EVNHCMC’s high, medium and low-voltage power grids were remotely monitored and controlled from the Remote Control Center. With only 4 staffs being on duty, EVNHCMC has safely, stably and effectively operated the grid against natural disasters, promptly re-supplied power to customers.
Particularly, the pioneering activity in power repair with live-line technology also helps EVNHCMC shorten the duration of power outages for its customers. The number of live-line repair teams under the Corporation was increased from 12 to 16 in 2018, promptly meeting the needs of repair, construction, maintenance on the power grid without power cut. For 2018 only, EVNHCMC implemented nearly 5,500 live-line construction tasks.
A factor playing a crucial factor in contributing to improving the reliability of power supply is investment - construction and consolidation of the power grid structure. Currently, the power grid in Ho Chi Minh City has been synchronously constructed with reasonable back-up; 100% of medium voltage lines have been connected in loop circuit.
The improvement in EVNHCMC’s reliability of power supply has made a crucial contribution to raising Vietnam’s access-to-electricity index in 2018 by 37 levels compared to that of 2017, ranking at 27/190 countries/economies. EVNHCMC is striving to decrease the Saidi index of the Corporation to less than 100 minutes by 2020.