Leading electrical engineering business Omexom UK & ROI has enhanced its offer to grid operators with the introduction of Fault Analysis Classifying Expert System (FACES), a ground-breaking software solution designed to automatically detect and analyse critical problems in high voltage electricity networks.

FACES enables the automated analysis of electricity network faults and provides a practical solution for control centres. By enabling the optimisation of grid operation, FACES helps to significantly reduce operating costs and increase efficiency while minimising the chance of blackouts and power outages.

Omexom, part of global networks engineering group VINCI Energies, provides generation, transmission, and distribution services across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The introduction of FACES allows Omexom to improve on the vital network support it offers to grid operators at a time when supply margins are shrinking and new technologies and business models are transforming demands for the secure transport and distribution of electricity.

FACES provides a vital solution for meeting the ever-increasing demands of operators who need to optimise their networks and ensure steady supplies of power to homes and businesses. Automatic fault analysis brings real improvement to how networks are managed, guaranteeing less downtime and greater energy security for an ever more reliable network. Omexom’s advantage over competitors is its offer of a comprehensive solution including analysis of grid challenges, installation, maintenance and software training.

Simon Innis Managing Director, Omexom UK & RoI

FACES automatically collects information provided by power lines’ control and monitoring system, rapidly processing enormous amounts of data and updating operators on the cause and location of a fault almost instantly. This means that operators can spend less time investigating faults themselves and deploy engineers to correct the issue more quickly, reducing the amount of downtime before power is restored.

In addition to day-to-day fault analysis, FACES can evaluate protection systems over time and compare grid performance with benchmark standards expected by operators and utilities, allowing it to highlight ongoing issues and inefficiencies in need of correction and improve a network’s efficiency and reliability.

FACES is compatible with all types of electricity transmission networks, regardless of technical specifications or age. The software will be part of Omexom’s offer to all of its clients in the UK and Ireland, as well as in other European countries and across Africa, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Asia and South America.