1. Transition to 35-110(220) kV digital substations.

The goal is to create grid facilities with intelligent control and management system by installing state-of-the-art equipment and systems as well as to use IECInternational Electrotechnical Commission, international standards and conformity assessment body 61850 data transfer protocols. Effect from the deployment of the “Digital Substation” technology: increased level of automation and controllability, reduced exploitation costs due to extended repair intervals, usage of low-maintenance equipment, reduced time for restoration of normal network operation, reduced possibility of incidents and damages of equipment, usage of network fault location and remote switch control system.

• 110 kV Esaulka substation (Chelyabenergo branch):

Implementation of this project will enable the connection of new consumers and increase the volume of net supply; improve the reliability of power supply and voltage quality for consumers; replace obsolete and worn‑out equipment; achieve optimal loading of the district; enhance observability and controllability of the facility; and test solutions using microprocessor‑based RPArelay protection automation and telemechanics devices supporting the digital substation technology in accordance with IECInternational Electrotechnical Commission, international standards and conformity assessment body 61850. 2025 achievements: equipment involved in the implementation of innovative technologies has been procured and installation works have been completed.

3. Transition to end-to-end performance of business processes and automation of control systems.

1) Development of “GIS Ural”:

In 2025, a package of activities was implemented to expand the system’s functional capabilities, including:

• introduction of a new mode for searching geographic objects via the Yandex service;
• development of an enhanced printing tool with selection of image format and scale;
• configuration of geometric error validation with output into the “Verification Data” layer;
• addition of search‑result filtering by organizational structure with the option to export results to tables;
• expansion of spatial search functionality for multiple selection of objects from various map layers;
• implementation of display and filtering of boundaries of individual production departments and electric‑grid districts;
• development of a function for automatic determination of the climatic‑zone classification of overhead line objects, with subsequent transfer of such data to the master system;
• implementation of dynamic display of overhead line length parameters and their segments during editing;
• configuration of differentiated visualization of insulated and uninsulated conductors using appropriate graphical symbols.

2) Automation of the process for implementing services and accounting for electricity on the basis of the Omni‑US automated information system:

Project objectives: improve the transparency and controllability of business processes by unifying data and business processes, maintaining a single database of customers and their supply points, and reducing costs; as well as meet the requirements for providing access to the minimum set of functions of intelligent electricity metering systems (capacity)^[29].

In 2025, a package of works comprising 7 stages was implemented, including:

• modeling of business processes within the IT architecture;
• updating the technical design of the unified information platform and functional specifications;
• development of new functional specifications;
• direct configuration of the EIP; and
• preliminary testing of the implemented configurations.

In parallel, the technical design of the Omni‑US AIS was updated, its functionality and integration mechanisms were configured in line with the updated project documentation, and preparations were made for trial operation of the configurations.

3) Creation of a security system for significant objects of critical information infrastructure:

Project objectives: ensure the stable operation of objects of critical information infrastructure when subjected to computer attacks; reduce the risks associated with possible destructive impact on the Company’s information resources; meet the requirements of the Russian legislation governing the assurance of information security for the Company’s critical‑information‑infrastructure objects and the law‑protected information processed there.

Within the funding volumes for 2024–2025, the following import‑substituted systems are being created:

• data center firewalls (inter‑network shielding systems, INS) at the Company’s branches;
• INS for the branch network management centers;
• a remote user‑access system based on Sverdlovenergo and Permenergo branches;
• a centralized management system for branch INS/IDS equipment;
• INS and intrusion‑detection systems for the “Central Electric Grids” production department of Chelyabenergo branch;
• INS and intrusion‑detection systems for the “Chelyabinsk City Electric Grids” production department of Chelyabenergo branch.

5. Evolvement of the system on development and implementation of innovative products and technologies, R&Dresearch and development activities:

In 2025, five R&Dresearch and development projects were in progress:

1) R&D project: “Development of a Single-Ended Fault Location System (FLS) based on the analysis of time-symmetric components, utilizing domestically manufactured components for installation on combined cable-overhead power lines of 6–10 kV distribution networks. Study of the impact of individual COL parameters, when constructing its digital model, on FLS accuracy” (contractor: ANO VO “Innopolis University”).

Work under Stages 3 and 4 of the R&Dresearch and development project has been completed:

• Stage 3: results of the second testing session of the FLS hardware and software complex have been documented; a report on the impact of parameters required for constructing a digital model of the power line on FLS accuracy has been prepared; a database containing the necessary information on the line under study has been developed, along with a software version for automated construction of the line’s digital model; a report analyzing the conditions for effective application of the FLS HSC in distribution networks has been prepared; final versions of the software enabling interaction between the FLS HSC, SCADAsupervisory control and data acquisition system (OIK Dispatcher), and the automated line modeling software have been delivered.
• Stage 4: a complete set of technical and software documentation, as well as an installation package, has been prepared.

2) R&D project: “Research and development of a monitoring system for 6–35 kV cable lines based on domestically produced NBPLC modems” (contractor: OOOLimited Liability Company SPC Prioritet).

Stages 3 and 4 of the R&Dresearch and development project have been completed: a prototype of the cable insulation condition monitoring system and a laboratory test bench for prototype testing have been manufactured; laboratory testing of the prototype has been carried out; algorithms, software, and design documentation for the prototype have been refined based on the test results; upper-level software, as well as predictive analytics methodologies and software, have been developed, and technical specifications have been prepared for integration into the “EGC Incidents” software package; a facility has been selected and approved for pilot industrial operation of the cable insulation condition monitoring system.

3) R&D project: “Assessment of the feasibility of using HPLC+HRF technology for data transmission from smart electricity metering devices in low-voltage power networks, with adaptation to the domestic regulatory framework” (contractor: AOJoint-Stock Company Energomera).

Stage 1 of the R&Dresearch and development project has been completed: an analysis of the applicable regulatory framework has been conducted, and HPLC modem prototypes have been developed.

4) R&Dresearch and development project: “Development of new components for existing insulator strings on 110–220 kV overhead transmission lines to reduce the number of process disturbances caused by surface flashover of insulation” (contractor: ANO VO “Innopolis University”).

Stage 1 of the R&Dresearch and development project has been completed: the current state of the art has been analyzed, and pre-design surveys and technical requirements have been developed.

5) R&Dresearch and development project: “Development of an adaptive system for identification of the type and location of disturbances in low-observability electric networks based on machine learning algorithms and synchronized phasor measurements” (contractor: FGAOU VO “Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin”).

Stage 1 of the R&Dresearch and development project has been completed:

• the structure and algorithmic framework of the adaptive system for identification of the type and location of disturbances in low-observability electric networks, based on machine learning algorithms and synchronized phasor measurements, have been defined;
• a review and analysis of studies related to the placement of synchronized phasor measurement units for disturbance identification in electric networks have been carried out;
• a methodology for determining the optimal number and placement of synchronized phasor measurement units, ensuring the capability for adaptive identification of disturbance type and location, has been developed and implemented;
• a set of data sampling requirements for solving the task of adaptive identification of disturbance type and location using machine learning algorithms has been established;
• existing methods for determining disturbance locations in low-observability electric networks have been reviewed and systematized;
• an optimal data preprocessing architecture has been defined;
• testing of the optimal architecture of the adaptive system for identification of disturbance type and location in low-observability electric networks, based on machine learning algorithms and synchronized phasor measurements, have been performed using synthetic and real-world data.

The following R&Dresearch and development areas are planned for implementation:

• R&Dresearch and development project: “Research and development of a monitoring system for 6–35 kV cable lines based on domestically produced NBPLC modems”;
• R&Dresearch and development project: “Assessment of the feasibility of using HPLC+HRF technology for data transmission from smart electricity metering devices in low-voltage power networks, with adaptation to the domestic regulatory framework”;
• R&Dresearch and development project: “Development of new components for existing insulator strings on 110–220 kV overhead transmission lines to reduce the number of process disturbances caused by surface flashover of insulation”;
• R&Dresearch and development project: “Development of an adaptive system for identification of the type and location of disturbances in low-observability electric networks based on machine learning algorithms and synchronized phasor measurements”.