PRYSMIAN WINS OPEN INNOVATION CONTEST WITH THREE MAJOR DUTCH POWER UTILITIES TO ACCELERATE STRENGTHENING THE GRID

• CHALLENGE WAS SET BY DUTCH POWER UTILITIES: ALLIANDER, ENEXIS AND STEDIN TO SUPPORT MEDIUM VOLTAGE SUBSTATION ROLLOUT IN THE NETHERLANDS
• ACCELERATING LARGE-SCALE DEPLOYMENT OF MEDIUM VOLTAGE SUBSTATIONS IS ESSENTIAL TO MEET RAPIDLY INCREASING ELECTRICITY DEMAND
• PRYSMIAN’S WINNING SOLUTION IS DESIGNED TO ACT AS A GLOBAL TEMPLATE FOR UTILITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE
• CONSUMERS WILL ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THANKS TO IMPROVED GRID RELIABILITY, ENHANCED GRID EFFICIENCY AND SAFER ACCESS TO A CLEANER ENERGY MIX.

Prysmian has won the “Quick & Simple Substation” innovation challenge, organised by the Dutch grid operators Alliander, Enexis, and Stedin, and outranked 13 other providers. The challenge sought to find transformative solutions to accelerate the rollout of Medium Voltage substations - a critical need considering the rapidly increasing demand for electricity, and the energy transition in Europe. The solution will be rolled-out in the Netherlands and stands as a template for other utilities to adopt globally – with a potential impact for hundreds of power grids and – ultimately - millions of energy consumers worldwide.

THE WINNING SOLUTION AND WHY IT MATTERS

Prysmian's winning concept uses a MV plug-and-play solution – consisting of a flexible cable with a prefabricated plug connection. This solution significantly reduces installation times, is technician-friendly, and scalable, leading to an overall simplification and acceleration in the installation of Medium Voltage substations. MV substations are essential for the power grid to be able to handle the increased electricity demand, while also making the transition to cleaner energy. The accelerated roll-out of MV substations results into a stronger power grid that is more resilient and safer.

Fast, safe and reliable installation of Medium Voltage substations is one of the most pressing challenges for grid operators across Europe, and worldwide, with current methods that are time-consuming, labour-intensive, and limited by a shortage of skilled technicians. Prysmian’s focus has been on addressing these challenges for its customers, helping them accelerate and deliver a stronger grid for the consumers and the overall public.

For Prysmian, this solution is fully in line with its strategic objective to achieve over 55% of revenues from sustainable solutions by 2028, and to increase the New Product Vitality to 30% by 2028.

Cinzia Farisè, Executive VP Power Grid at Prysmian said: “There is no doubt that power utilities need to accelerate the upgrade of their grid infrastructure. Time is of the essence and our customers need solutions to meet their challenges. Here we listened to our customers, identified where we could have the biggest impact and ultimately redefine substation installation. This is exactly the true partnership that is at the heart of our journey from cable manufacturer to solutions provider.”

Srinivas Siripurapu, Chief R&D and Innovation Officer at Prysmian said: “We are so incredibly proud to receive this recognition. The development of our winning solution was the result of a true international collaboration among R&D teams in Germany, France, and the Netherlands with various expertise and perspectives brought together into a technically robust solution tailored to real-world operational needs. As a matter of fact, this solution simplifies, and as a result, accelerates the deployment of an essential infrastructure. And it’s all for the greater good – the utilities, technicians and public all win from this solution.”

 "The electricity grid must grow in line with the energy demand. This innovation helps us to make more production and make maximum use of the scarce technical colleagues we have. I am proud of the good cooperation between network operators, suppliers, and contractors. This is exactly what we need to make progress: working together, learning from each other, and daring to innovate." said Rutger van der Leeuw, CEO of Enexis Groep. 

“Today was the final of our search for a solution that is desperately needed because in the coming years we will install 50,000 transformer substations. I am extremely proud of the cooperation between network operators, contractors, and suppliers. The result is a scalable solution with a huge impact: from two days to one day to connect a MV substation." said Maartje Brans, director of innovation at Alliander.

"The winning solution is a textbook example of how technology and collaboration make a difference. Smart innovations like these are desperately needed for the rapid reinforcement of the electricity grid." said Angela Hulst, innovation manager at Stedin.