Digital twin of an industrial power network for continuous manufacturing operations
How a major pulp and paper producer used CENTO to optimize electrical distribution, prevent downtime, and prepare for future energy challenges
One of leading pulp and paper manufacturer in ECA region operates a massive production site covering 15 square kilometers. The facility runs 24/7, producing cardboard, pulp, and forest-chemical products, and relies on a complex network of 33 energy facilities with more than 1,200 electrical connections ranging from 110 kV to 6 kV. Some parts of the infrastructure date back to the 1960s and 70s, making modernization both technically challenging and strategically important.
Business challenges
The company faced increasing instability in power supply due to new load profiles and the partial shutdown of its own generation units. Voltage fluctuations in the transmission system, along with reactive power compensation units (RPCU) trips or unsynchronized motor restarts, could trigger full process interruptions.
Operators lacked clear visibility into optimal switching strategies during maintenance or emergencies, as well as the ability to calculate scenarios in ETAP using live operational data. These gaps created serious risks of exceeding energy export limits set by the regional grid operator, potentially leading to fines or full-site disconnection.
Solution: building a Digital Twin
To address these issues, the company implemented a digital twin of its electrical network using CENTO as the core integration layer. The solution provided real-time connectivity with field devices and control systems, creating a living model of the site’s power infrastructure.
With the digital twin, engineers can now:
Simulate any maintenance or emergency scenario, instantly recalculating load distribution when equipment is taken offline
Model the impact of new loads and connections, and determine the most efficient switching strategies when local generation is re-engaged
Validate and update the asset inventory, ensuring accurate metering and equipment passport data
Conduct anti-emergency training using real operational conditions
Results and next steps
The project delivered immediate operational transparency, allowing maintenance teams to prevent overloads and plan switching actions with confidence. For the long term, the digital twin provides tools to forecast and control power export to the regional grid, evaluate equipment throughput, and calculate short-circuit currents.
By integrating real-time analytics, visualization, and simulation within one platform, the enterprise has laid the foundation for a smarter, safer, and more efficient power network—ready for the next phase of digital transformation.
Check how CENTO works in real life
With clear visibility, accurate metering, insightful analytics, and effective planning,
your resources and equipment will be utilized more efficiently.
Mining
Automated metering, monitoring and control system. Decrease in the purchased power volume. Cancelled daily scheduled rounds and reduced response time to emergencies.
Metals
Legacy systems replaced. Unified control, diagnostics, and data for 210 facilities.
Energy
Secure PQ monitoring inside isolated network. Real-time data, full internal control.
Data centers
Energy metering and power quality analysis. Integrated monitoring for critical infrastructure and uptime.