Safety-focused training is essential for the operation and maintenance concentrated on the reliability of critical infrastructures, such as power grids. This paper introduces and evaluates a system for power substation operational training by exploring and interacting with realistic models in virtual worlds using serious games. The virtual reality (VR) simulator used building information modelling (BIM) from a 115 kV substation to develop a scenario with high technical detail suitable for professional training. This system created interactive models that could be explored using a first-person-perspective serious game in a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE). Different operational missions could be carried out in the serious game, allowing several skills to be coached. The suitability for vocational training carried out by utility companies was evaluated in terms of usability and engagement. The evaluation used a System Usability Scale (SUS) and a Game Engagement Questionnaire (GEQ) filled by 16 power substation operators demonstrating marginally acceptable usability, with improvement opportunities and high acceptance (by utility technicians) of this system for operation training focused on safety in such hazardous tasks.

The Internet of Things (IoT) plays an important role in the development of applications for the Electrical Industry. The data has become essential for the technological advances in this industry, changing abruptly due to the distributed energy resources and the smart grid concept. The data integration also represents a relevant matter to address when performing IoT projects for electrical industry applications. The electrical industry requires incorporating different IoT protocols to comply with the distinct scenarios and the interoperability. This work proposes integrating the HTTP REST, MQTT, LoRaWAN, and OPC UA open communications protocols into an IoT platform and interoperable architecture for smart grid applications. This approach intends to contribute to smart grid solutions and automation systems in the electrical industry, promotes further integration of communication protocols for this field, and enables additional data-based applications for their automation systems. A Multi-Agent System architecture based on the IoT integration is proposed as an application to show how implementable is this approach in current and technological electrical systems.

Several recent studies have attempted to formulate printable cementitious materials to meet the printing requirements, but these materials are designed to work with specific printing equipment and printing configurations. This paper aims to systematically develop and perform characterization of a commercially available ultra-high-performance concrete-class material (UHPC) modified to be printable. Four percentages of superplasticizer were used (100%, 94%, 88%, 82%) to adjust the UHPC mixture for 3D-printing requirements. A superplasticizer amount of 88% was considered adequate to meet the requirements. Several fresh and hardened properties of UHPC were measured experimentally: shape-retention ability and green strength were investigated in fresh state, and compressive and flexural strength were evaluated in three loading directions to evaluate the anisotropic effects. Furthermore, the strength of the interlayer bond was investigated. The UHPC developed in this study met the criteria for extrudability, buildability, and shape retention to ensure printability. In comparison with mold-cast UHPC, printed UHPC exhibited superior flexural performance (15–18%), but reduced compressive strength (32–56%). Finally, the results demonstrated that a commercially available UHPC-class material can be used for 3DCP, which possesses all necessary properties, both fresh and hardened.

In this paper, a methodology for optimal decision making for electrical systems is addressed. This methodology seeks to identify and to prioritize the replacement and maintenance of a power asset fleet optimizing the return of investment. It fulfills this objective by considering the risk index, the replacement and maintenance costs, and the company revenue. The risk index is estimated and predicted for each asset using both its condition records and by evaluating the consequence of its failure. The condition is quantified as the probability of failure of the asset, and the consequence is determined by the impact of the asset failure on the whole system. Failure probability is estimated using the health index as scoring of asset condition. The consequence is evaluated considering a failure impact on the objectives of reliability (energy not supplied -ENS), environment, legality, and finance using Monte Carlo simulations for an assumed period of planning. Finally, the methodology was implemented in an open-source library called PywerAPM for assessing optimal decisions, where the proposed mathematical optimization problem is solved. As a benchmark, the power transformer fleet of the New England IEEE 39 Bus System was used. Condition records were provided by a local utility to compute the health index of each transformer. Subsequently, a Monte Carlo contingency simulation was performed to estimate the energy not supplied for a period of analysis of 10 years. As a result, the fleet is ranked according to risk index, and the optimal replacement and maintenance are estimated for the entire fleet.

The usage of unmanned aircraft systems to complete routine, commercial, and industrial tasks has increased throughout the world, evidencing better profitability and reducing risks for operators. However, in some countries, there is a low implementation of unmanned aircraft systems, particularly in the electrical sector, due to a lack of appropriation or adaptation of technology to the local environment. Therefore, this paper presents an analysis of the uses of unmanned aircraft systems in the electrical industry worldwide and its possible application to a local context to identify how the expansion of unmanned aerial vehicles is helping various industries. The contribution of this paper is to show how the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles can help in any particular task in the electrical sector and the appropriation of these technologies in a country, showing a possible categorization of unmanned aerial vehicles based on future applications and current regulations. The analysis was carried out in the Colombian context, considering the current regulation and the impact of its use. This research considers safety, security, and privacy implications, including the reduction of personal harm with low operation costs. In addition, the importance of future implementations in Colombia is discussed as a topic of interest for any electrical company, researchers, and government entities.

Una adecuada coordinación de protecciones eléctricas es fundamental en los sistemas de potencia, con el fin de evitar desconexiones inesperadas que pueden desencadenar problemas en la operación de la red eléctrica y sus diferentes componentes. Aunque esta actividad tiene una alta complejidad en sistemas de gran tamaño, actualmente existen algunos métodos de coordinación de protecciones automáticos, los cuales han sido aplicados en casos de estudio. En este documento se desarrolla un algoritmo adaptativo de coordinación de cuatro relés de sobrecorriente direccionales, que se encuentran en dos líneas de transmisión adyacentes en el caso de estudio de nueve barras IEEE 9; dos protecciones por cada línea de transmisión seleccionada. Posteriormente se encuentra un análisis de los resultados obtenidos, explicando ciertas características del sistema de potencia y relacionándolas con el comportamiento de los parámetros de los relés ante los cambios en la topología de este. Finalmente, se mencionan las conclusiones sobre dichos resultados y el desempeño del algoritmo. Los aportes de este trabajo radican en el análisis de una alternativa innovadora en Colombia, que permita optimizar el uso del esquema de protecciones en un sistema de potencia. Asimismo, los resultados obtenidos permiten validar la implementación del algoritmo en equipos reales, para un piloto sobre un segmento de la red, el cual es propiedad de CODENSA.