Today, companies are under growing pressure to modernise their IT infrastructure. Regulatory requirements are increasing, business models are becoming more digital, and internal systems are increasingly reaching their limits. For many organisations, platform strategies and Enterprise Service Management are seen as the key to transformation.
In this interview, Tobias Egeler, Head of Network Economics and Digitalisation at the transmission system operator TransnetBW, and Steven Zurbrüggen, Project Manager for Enterprise Service Management at SHD System-Haus-Dresden GmbH, discuss their experiences with platform strategies, IT modernisation and change management.
Mr Egeler, what role does IT play today for a electricity transmission system operator?
Tobias Egeler: First of all, perhaps to provide some context: TransnetBW is one of four transmission system operators in Germany. We operate the extra-high-voltage grid in Baden-Württemberg and are responsible for the safe transmission of electricity over long distances, as well as for the stability of the entire system within our control area.
Our task is to ensure that the balance between electricity generation and consumption in the transmission grid is maintained at all times. This is a key prerequisite for security of supply, economic stability and the smooth running of our daily lives.
Against this backdrop, IT and digitalisation play a key role today.
The energy system is undergoing significant change: electricity generation is becoming more decentralised, whilst at the same time new consumption and feed-in points are emerging, for example through electric vehicles, heat pumps or battery storage.
In order to continue to manage this increasingly dynamic system safely, we need not only grid expansion but also powerful digital support – in particular, IT platforms. IT platforms help us to coordinate processes, create transparency and reliably support the safe operation of the transmission grid – in other words, what is known as system operation.
That sounds as though digitalisation has now become part of your core business.
Egeler: Yes, IT and digitalisation are now an integral part of our core business – though they are clearly defined within it.
Our core remit remains unchanged: we build and operate the electricity grid and ensure system security. Digital applications help us to fulfil these tasks efficiently and reliably under the changed conditions.
So it is not about digitalisation for digitalisation’s sake, but about the targeted further development of our existing processes. Digital solutions help us to make better use of information, structure processes, make more informed decisions and manage the energy system.
The key lies in the interplay: physical infrastructure and digital systems are interlinked. Only in this way can system operations in the transmission grid function stably.
You rely on several platforms. Why not a centralised solution?
Egeler: Our tasks are very diverse and range from grid operation and market processes to connection procedures.
As a rule, this diversity cannot be meaningfully accommodated within a single platform. That is why we rely on a structured platform landscape with clearly defined areas of responsibility.
It is important that these systems and platforms work together via clearly defined interfaces. This creates an integrated overall system that remains both powerful and manageable.
Our approach is not to increase complexity, but to organise it in a targeted manner and make it transparent through clear architectural principles.
Why is this platform architecture necessary?
Egeler: The demands placed on the energy system have changed significantly. Today, due to the fragmentation of generation and dynamic loads, we are dealing with far more stakeholders, mass processes and increasing demands for speed and coordination.
To ensure that system operation in the transmission grid remains safe and stable, information must be available quickly and processes must interlock reliably. Digital platforms help us to structure and organise these processes efficiently.
We adhere to a clear principle here: digital systems support the operation of our systems and processes – they do not replace the physical operation of the grid. Responsibility continues to lie with clearly defined, secure processes.
Security plays a major role in critical infrastructure. How do you take this into account?
Egeler: Security is our top priority. As an operator of critical infrastructure, we are subject to clear regulatory requirements and very high standards regarding the protection of our systems and data. We consistently take these requirements into account when developing and operating our digital solutions.
We carefully differentiate between use cases and ensure that systems are operated in appropriate, controlled environments in each instance. Aspects such as availability, resilience and the protection of sensitive information play a central role in this.
Our aim is not only to maintain system security in the transmission grid, but also to strengthen it in a targeted manner through appropriate digital solutions.
Mr Zurbrüggen, your company has introduced Enterprise Service Management. What prompted this decision?
Steven Zurbrüggen: We built up our business in the early 1990s and, over time, developed many of our own service tools. That worked well for a long time. At some point, however, it became clear that these systems were no longer fit for purpose. In the end, we had five different systems in use that barely communicated with one another. Many processes were carried out manually. Furthermore, we were no longer able to update some components.
So ESM became a strategic decision?
Zurbrüggen: Exactly. For us, Enterprise Service Management is now the central tool we use. Almost all of our technicians’ operational processes run through it.
Introducing new systems often also means cultural change. How did your staff react to this?
Zurbrüggen: With mixed feelings. Many colleagues wondered why old processes couldn’t simply be carried over. The classic line is: ‘But that worked before.’ That’s a typical challenge when it comes to change. When people have been used to certain ways of working for decades, that doesn’t change within a few weeks.
Mr Egeler, do you face similar challenges?
Egeler: Yes, absolutely. Transformation is always an organisational and cultural challenge as well. New systems and processes change the way we work. That is why it is important to involve staff at an early stage, to communicate transparently and to provide targeted training.
At the same time, clear decisions are needed: when existing systems reach their limits, they must be further developed. We do this in a structured way and with a clear focus on our core task: ensuring the secure operation of our systems.
What role has Materna played in your projects?
Zurbrüggen: Materna’s consultants helped our teams to rethink processes and focus more closely on standards. In doing so, Materna took on the role of a neutral expert.
Egeler: For us, the focus was more on technical integration, for example with ServiceNow or cloud-related issues. At the same time, however, we also work with Materna in other areas, such as platform operations and cloud strategies.
Looking back today: was the transformation worth it?
Egeler: Yes, absolutely, from our point of view. We can see that a well-coordinated system and platform landscape helps to make processes more transparent, improve interfaces and organise workflows more efficiently.
At the same time, it helps us to better manage the increasing complexity of the energy system and to reliably fulfil our responsibility for safe system operation and, consequently, for security of supply.
However, it is important to note that transformation is not a one-off project, but an ongoing process. We are continuing to develop our systems and processes step by step – always with the aim of balancing security of supply, efficiency and sustainability.
Zurbrüggen: I can only agree with that. Our systems have become significantly more modern, and many processes have been rethought. Of course, the transformation is not yet complete. But we are heading in the right direction.
