“Our innovation improved defect detection, reduced manual labeling hours, and enabled us to create realistic images of rare defects where real-world data was scarce. It gave us a scalable methodology to apply this across various assets. This innovation paves the way for more drone deployments, reducing field hazards for crews, and accelerating defect resolution for better grid reliability.”

“That initial innovation was for an advanced analytics visualization platform. That has transitioned and been scaled to what we now have with our Wildfire Next Generation System, WiNGs.”

“This innovation is about a simulation in the metaverse, simulating cybersecurity events, and how we can react to them. We created three virtual meta worlds, an electrical substation, the emergency communications center or ECC, and a cybersecurity collaboration meeting room.”

“We switched over to a digital platform for substation protection and control, compared to the hundreds or thousands of copper cables. Our new solution enables us to complete construction more efficiently. We can deploy this type of technology and construct a substation control house in a matter of months instead of years.”

An overview of this year’s top innovators from fourteen utilities, as well as some excellent nominations.

When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, George Leigh Mallory famously said, “because it is there.” I thought of that inspiring line when wondering why this year’s Fortnightly Top Innovators wanted to innovate. Is it because the challenge, and the fruits of conquering it, were right there before them, beckoning them?