Digital Grid Software Architecture Implementation

Siemens and Austrian distribution system operator Kärnten Netz GmbH have entered into a six-year software deployment contract to integrate advanced grid management tools across low- and medium-voltage networks. The deployment addresses capacity bottlenecks across the regional electricity grid in Carinthia, where the rapid expansion of distributed energy resources requires enhanced monitoring and dynamic control architectures.

Grid Modernization and Regulatory Context
The continuous integration of decentralized photovoltaic installations, domestic heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure has introduced multi-directional load flows into low-voltage distribution lines. Under standard operational setups, low-voltage network segments lack the sensor density and real-time observability required to evaluate local transformer loads or voltage fluctuations accurately. Furthermore, the regulatory transition under the Austrian Electricity Industry Act mandates that distribution operators actively mitigate grid congestion through market-based flexibility mechanisms, making systematic visibility over dynamic feed-in a technical requirement.

Software Architecture and Technical Deployment
The deployment centers on the modular Siemens Gridscale X software platform, which ingests operational telemetry to construct a functional digital twin of the complete network topology down to the lowest distribution levels. The platform relies on three core modules: Gridscale X LV Insights, Gridscale X LV Management, and Gridscale X Flexibility Manager.

LV Insights aggregates measurement points across decentralized endpoints to calculate real-time network states and predict operational constraints. LV Management automates topology-aware operational tasks, supporting field operations during unplanned outages and standard switching routines. The Flexibility Manager module maps grid topology against projected generation and consumption profiles, identifying impending thermal overloads and voltage limit violations ahead of occurrence. Through this analytical pipeline, the platform schedules and triggers flexibility resources across medium- and high-voltage connections to maintain physical line tolerances.

Strategic Utility Objectives and Implementation Roles
Siemens serves as the enterprise software and integration provider, supplying the cloud-native platform modules and analytics algorithms. Kärnten Netz GmbH acts as the implementing network operator, connecting physical grid assets, local substations, and supervisory controlsystems to the software layer.
 

Regarding the implementation rationale, Sabine Erlinghagen, Managing Director of Siemens Grid Software, noted that by using the platform, the utility creates a digital twin down to low-voltage levels to gain visibility, leverage available flexibility, and address issues before they impact operational reliability.

Eva Tatschl-Unterberger, Managing Director of KNG, stated that the technical setup enables the operator to establish a digital model capable of identifying network constraints and executing structured outage and congestion management routines.

Operational Benefits and Asset Utilization
By establishing algorithmic visibility over low-voltage networks, Kärnten Netz GmbH reduces the need for immediate, capital-intensive physical cable replacement. The predictive congestion models allow the distribution operator to maximize asset utilization across existing transformer stations and feeder cables without exceeding safe thermal thresholds. Digital flexibility orchestration ensures that fluctuating feed-in from renewable resources can be absorbed while maintaining voltage stability and overall process reliability across regional power distribution infrastructure.

Edited by Sucithra Mani, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.siemens.com