19.04.2023
Regular electrical grid modernisation works reduce the total amount of damage and the duration of outages on the AS Sadales tīkls electrical grid each year; however, it is not possible to completely protect the electrical grid from damage. Adverse weather conditions, animal contact and accidental damage caused by various performers of economic activity can all result in accidental damage to the electrical network. Residents are encouraged to report damage to the power grid via a newly developed e-tool on the Sadales tīkls website www.sadalestikls.lv in order to facilitate effective communication between the customer and the company.
The “Report damage” button can be found on the first view of the Sadales tīkls homepage, and it can also be conveniently used on a smartphone. By clicking on it, the customer will be able to report a power outage, voltage fluctuations or damage to Sadales tīkls infrastructure. It is important that the customer can track the progress of the damage repair on the already familiar digital map (section “Applications”) – the status of the reported damage will be visible next to the address. The customer will be notified when the application has been handed over to the masters, see that the masters are on their way to the damage site, that work is already underway or that the work has been completed. Status information is updated every 15 minutes.
Damage reporting and information coordination are 100% automated. Integration with the company’s dispatch control and other systems, as well as the digital map, allows one to track the status of damage prevention on the digital map 24/7.
“Already, more than 99% of activities related to Sadales tīkls services are carried out by our customers constantly in the company’s e-environment, and Sadales tīkls does everything possible to offer new digital services at every step. The ability to report damage on the website and track the progress of repairs on the digital map is an important step towards the digitalisation of Sadales tīkls and a novel service in Latvia’s public utilities industry. According to customer experience – it takes about a minute to report a power outage on the website. Customers’ responsible attitude and involvement in the detection of infrastructure damage, in turn, will allow Sadales tīkls to prevent emergency situations faster and to provide an increasingly high-quality electricity supply service,” says Baiba Priedīte, Member of the Board and Chief Customer Officer at Sadales tīkls.
The total length of Latvia’s distribution power grid is nearly 93,000 kilometres, so the ability to report damage on the service provider’s website 24/7 increases the prompt exchange of information, relieves the call centre and thus optimises long-term costs. This tool is also expected to contribute to the maintenance of the electric network and strengthen the reliability of the electric supply, owing to increased public participation in identifying infrastructure defects.
The ability to report damage not only through the call centre, but also digitally, will be critical in situations of larger emergency shutdowns, which are common during storms. Last year, more than a quarter of all electrical network failures were directly caused by adverse weather conditions, nearly every fifth failure was caused by power supply interruptions caused by animals (most often birds), and roughly every 14th failure was caused by third-party intervention – most often unintentionally by various economic workers damaging power lines with specialised equipment.
Sadales tīkls reminds that if electricity “disappears” at home, the first step is to check the “fuses” to see if they have tripped. The second step is to enter the address in the digital damage map, which can be found at www.sadalestikls.lv – the damage may already have been registered, so there is no need to enter it again. If the “fuses” have not tripped and the damage has not yet been registered on the map, it can be easily reported using the new e-tool.
Furthermore, the customer can receive operational information about property damage by registering their contact information (mobile phone number or e-mail) in the Sadales tīkls customer portal e-st.lv, then an e-mail or text message will be received approximately 20 minutes after the damage is recorded.
If an internet connection is not available, a power outage can still be reported by dialling the Sadales tīkls damage reporting phone number 8404. However, if a resident has become an eyewitness to damage that could endanger a person’s life, such as a broken, sparking power line cable, it is necessary to contact the rescue services immediately by dialling 112!