Ageing transformers, limited replacements, and workforce shortages are reshaping asset management priorities. In this interview, Marcelo Werneck, VP of Business Development – Energy at Optics11, shares how advanced PD monitoring with OptiFender can help utilities respond to these pressures.
What is really keeping transformer owners and grid operators up at night right now?
The following three things: scale, scarcity and skills. First, asset age and replacement scarcity: for example, in the EU approximately 40% of HV transformers are 40+ years old. Replacing one transformer can take up to 38 months and cost millions. That pushes life‑extension to the top of the agenda. Second, partial discharge (PD) is related to approximately 40% of substation transformer failures, so catching incipient PD early materially moves the needle on risk. Third, operators report constrained expert capacity and the need for tools that reduce manual, round‑based checks. Together, those forces make continuous, decision‑grade monitoring essential rather than optional.
For readers new to OptiFender, what is it, and how does it turn PD data into informed decisions without adding headcount?
The OptiFender is a monitoring system for HV/MV assets that delivers 24/7 PD detection, monitoring and 3D localization, built to feed clear, operational decisions. Users can see it as their digital PD expert constantly assessing the condition of their assets.
Amongst others, three specifics matter:
- Accurate localization: the OptiFender targets ±10 cm accuracy so that maintenance teams know where to act.
- Continuous monitoring and notification: the system is constantly looking at live PD data and notifies users if an unusual event or the development of a new trend happens.
- Early detection: due to the high sensitivity of the system, even small PD events and trends can be detected, allowing asset owners to act before it becomes a problem.
There results include fewer manual checks, clearer localization, and dashboards that prompt targeted interventions, without needing a room full of PD specialists.
Utilities say that the specialist workforce is stretched thin. Can OptiFender truly reduce dependence on scarce PD experts?
Definitely. We leverage the PD knowledge from our experts and added it to our monitoring platform. This means that you have a digital PD expert constantly always analysing the health of your asset. The consequence is that you no longer need external PD experts, and that your maintenance initiatives can happen only when needed, avoiding unnecessary spot checks and acting early when a problem is detected.
For instance, in one of our projects OptiFender was used for 380/150/50 kV power transformer monitoring in the field during a course of several months. Multiple PD sources have been detected with precise localization, with a main source located near the 50 kV bushings area. We recommended short-term corrective actions, that eventually helped to avoid unplanned maintenance costs.
What is the hard business impact, life extension and avoided costs, in a sentence or two?
OptiFender delivers measurable business impact by extending the operational life of high-value electrical assets and preventing costly unplanned outages. Through continuous, fiber-optic partial discharge (PD) monitoring, utilities can identify insulation degradation early, avoiding failures that can cost up to $1.7 million per transformer and carry outage fines reaching €5 million per hour. By proactively mitigating these risks, OptiFender safeguards grid reliability, defers multi-million-euro replacement investments, and can help operators extend transformer lifetimes well beyond 40 years.
Thank you, Marcelo, for this talk!
Thank you.
