Across Europe, increasingly intense heatwaves are putting additional pressure on electrical infrastructure. For distribution system operators, the challenge is not only higher electricity demand. It is also a question of asset health, grid reliability and operational visibility.
Distribution substations are critical points in the power grid. When ambient temperatures rise, transformers and associated equipment may operate under greater thermal stress. In these conditions, transformer temperature becomes one of the most important indicators to monitor.
An abnormal temperature rise can be linked to overloading, insufficient ventilation, cooling system issues or extreme environmental conditions. The challenge is that, without real-time visibility, operators may detect these situations only once the risk has already escalated.
What is transformer temperature monitoring?
Transformer temperature monitoring is the continuous measurement of transformer thermal conditions to detect abnormal temperature rises that may indicate overloading, insufficient ventilation, cooling issues or extreme environmental stress.
Electrical parameters alone do not show the full picture
Voltage, current, power and power quality are essential for understanding how the grid is operating. However, they do not always explain the physical conditions affecting the asset itself.
To improve grid reliability, utilities also need visibility of the environment inside and around the substation. This includes transformer temperature, ambient temperature, humidity, smoke detection, ozone concentration and flood detection.
2GRID dashboard showing transformer temperature and environmental parameters in real time
From monitoring to prevention
Real-time monitoring helps utilities identify abnormal situations before they become failures. This supports more informed maintenance decisions, reduces the risk of unexpected outages and contributes to extending the lifetime of critical assets.
At Smilics, 2GRID provides real-time visibility of electrical, physical and environmental parameters in distribution substations. By combining these data points, utilities can move from reactive maintenance to a more preventive and data-driven approach.
2GRID combines electrical, physical and environmental monitoring to support preventive maintenance in distribution substations
Today, monitoring electrical parameters alone is no longer enough. To strengthen grid resilience, we must also monitor the environment in which electricity is transformed and distributed.