Remotatec technology streamlines and optimizes communication operations at Celesc Distribuição.
THE COMPANY
Celesc Distribuição, set up in 2006, is the subsidiary of the state-owned company Celesc responsible for supplying electricity to 2.8 million consumer units. It is one of the largest energy distributors in the country, recognized for the high quality of its services. The company's concession area encompasses the entire territory of the state of Santa Catarina and the municipality of Rio Negro, in the state of Paraná, where a highly qualified and diversified consumer market is located.
THE CHALLENGE
The system is divided into 16 micro-regions that operated in isolation and independently without the possibility of being interconnected or controlled remotely. Besides this, there was a deficiency in radio coverage and also the need for the Distribution Operations Center. COSD, in the Capital to take over the radio dispatching from the Regional Control Centers at certain times when these were without local operators.
THE SOLUTION
The client already had a small digital VHF communication network from Motorola Solutions. After studying several suppliers in the market, Motorola Solutions was the one that best met the technical requirements regarding the operational needs of Celesc's VHF system. The company DRJ Radiocomunicação, a Motorola Solutions Platinum Dealer, was hired to assess the system's issues and make changes and adjustments to the radio system. The coverage was expanded when necessary, and the repeaters were interconnected with IP Site Connect within each of the 16 microregions through data links, ensuring that the operational needs were fully met. The remote radio dispatch from the Control Center in the Capital operates with the TXROIP consoles and the TXROIP System server via IP, with gateways connected to a MOTOTRBO™ base station in each of the 16 base cities that have a Control Center. All of this interconnectivity was completed in 120 days. Mobile radios were used for access to the radio network, with the TXROIP dispatch console, enabling a full range of voice and data functions. It also enabled real-time monitoring, system-wide radio graph recording, and management through the Radar software, which allows generating reports and exporting audio files. DRJ handled the coverage projects for the radio system of each site, while Remota Tecnologia installed the gateways and consoles.
THE BENEFITS
The field maintenance teams, control center operators and third parties are the main users of the solution that brought numerous benefits. Gains in agility and productivity were obtained in the dispatching of field teams, contributing to the reduction of response time to occurrences. On the other hand, the centralization of the Operation Centers brought a reduction in staff costs and enabled greater control of the dispatching procedures and intelligence in directing the teams in the field, avoiding unnecessary displacements. It also increased the quality and safety of service orders, with better communication and greater clarity and reliability in voice dispatch messages for field teams. Currently, the company is operating and monitoring all 16 micro-regions in the state and takes control of radio dispatching via IP from any Control Center that needs stability, optimizing its resources and collaborators.