Working together to make innovation happen
Saturday 6th June 2026
We have delivered forward thinking projects, developed an ecosystem with suppliers, technology providers and stakeholders to develop new ideas and test them. Most importantly, we have rolled out successful innovations on our network to ensure we continue to meet the requirements of our customers.
Our innovations deployed in ED1 have helped us manage the network in a more efficient, reactive and flexible manner, whilst reducing carbon emissions and costs. In total we expect to have saved over £88 million by the end of ED1 from NIA supported innovation, ensuring we continue to deliver value to our customers.
Some examples can be found below
Two experienced electricity distribution engineers, specialising in faults and repairs, that are currently working for National Grid, approached our project manager, Kevin Dennis, about developing a phase-to-phase fault finder.
With phase-to-phase type faults (welds) being particularly awkward to find and disruptive to customers, they identified a solution to find, test and repair this type of fault with less excavation and no further supply interruption.
Future Networks supported them by helping develop and validate the device from prototype through three design iterations and by sharing commercial expertise that enabled the creation of their company, B&W Technologies Ltd.
The tool developed can now be sold to all Distribution Network Operators (DNOs)
When compared to previous methods the Q2Q Fault Locator:
With much success, the technology is currently being trialled across three regions in SEPD, and one region in SHEPD. With our continued support, B&W Technologies Ltd are continuing to work towards a “no further supply interruption” solution.
In 2010, Future Networks obtained innovation funding for a 3-year project called Network Damage Reporter. AspenTech (trading name of Open Grid Solutions) worked with SSEN Distribution and introduced smart phone application Power Track.
Increased customer satisfaction
It is a map-based tool that allows our customers to get access to near-real time outage data on the SSEN Distribution Network. This includes Planned and Unplanned Outages as well as some supporting information on affected postcodes and reasons for the outage.
Quicker network damage recording
It can be used by members of the public, the Emergency Services, as well as SSE staff to record damage sites, and report them back to a central repository. By extending the reporting of damage to a much wider constituency, SSEN can get customers back on supply quicker.
PowerTrack currently sees circa 1m users per year and 3m sessions.
In 2022, due to the focus that SSEN Distribution place on continuous improvement, Future Networks obtained additional innovation funds for Storm AI™ – an experimental module intended for PowerTrack, that is being developed by AspenTech.
During storms, the network may potentially see widespread asset damage. This could be detected through monitoring, but SSEN have leveraged PowerTrack to allow their end-users to submit reports with photographs of damaged network equipment. These reports are then pushed through into the control room, along with other data, where engineers analyse the reports, triage them, and assign field crews. During normal operations, this is sufficient; however, during a storm, the workload can prove overwhelming.
Storm AI™ leverages a convolutional neural network (AI) to provide instantaneous feedback on submitted images to provide information such as asset type(s), voltage, threat to life, time to repair and needs for traffic management and tree cutting. The software is currently being deployed within SSEN’s test environment as an early beta in real operations.
In 2020, Future Networks obtained innovation funding for developing a new hammer tool for testing and inspecting the asset health of wooden poles.
The challenge when using a standard hammer to assess pole condition is the sound perception of an individual and associating it to the correct asset health score.
A standard hammer is also unable to provide granular detail of a pole condition or automate the same data directly into an asset database. These sounds can be perceived differently depending on the operator, therefore providing inconsistent data.
Smart Hammer was trialled across the SSEN Operational Regions. Repeatedly striking a pole with the hammer measures the health of the pole and its asset health score is recorded in an accompanying Smart Hammer app.
The results of the project were very positive, Smart Hammer has been found to outperform the current traditional method of inspecting a wood pole using a lump hammer. After destructive tests of wood poles the Smart Hammer was found to have identified rot in poles that had been missed by the traditional testing method
The future networks team are currently implementing Smart Hammer into the BAU process for the testing of wood poles
LV Underground Fault Location Technologies (LV-UFLT) was a new innovation deployment for 2021/22. It combined off-the-shelf LV underground fault locating tools with defined methodologies and processes to more effectively pinpoint underground cable faults. Improving restoration times, reducing excavations and minimising the number of staff on site for investigation works.
Below are examples of the technologies that were developed and tested as a result. Arcing and burning cause the emission of a distinctive pattern of gases from faulty cables and cable joints. Detecting these gases at the surface gives positive confirmation that the fault is close by. On the SSEN Distribution network, Future Networks facilitated trials for:
Fault Sniffer 2 (Ghostbuster)
(AKA Ghostbuster, manufactured by Megger)
The Fault Sniffer 2 utilizes advanced vacuum technology and two-sensor detection to pick up gases released from burning cable insulation and sheaths, in underground low voltage networks. This real-time data evaluation provides a graphical representation of combustion gas concentrations, allowing for precise fault identification.
(manufactured by Kelvatek, part of the Camlin Group)
Snoopi accurately identifies gases emitted by cable faults, giving network operators rapid confirmation of a fault’s likely location. Highly discriminating sensor technology enables clear identification of the gases typically emitted by cable faults. Logging of test positions and gas levels allows the identification of lower-level emissions and supports targeted sniffing activities on untested areas.
Both products are currently being used to identify faults on the SSEN Distribution network. Due to the extensive testing facilitated by Future Networks, both products were successfully disseminated to other DNOs.
FLIR E5 Pro Thermal Camera
Thermal Imaging of Underground Cables Networks.
Thermal Imaging Cameras assist in the location of LV underground faults by detecting heat emitted from damaged cables. This helps to effectively pinpoint the fault, reducing the time that customers are off supply and the number of excavations required to restore supply.
Advances in thermography and reduction in cost of kit have made this a viable product. Thermal technology is more readily available and is easy to use.
Future Networks secured NIA funding to develop and test the tool. The devices were then rolled out to all Rapid Response Operatives and key fault-finding staff back in 2017. The device is still used on the Network today.
There are approximately 174 devices on the network
In 2018, Future Networks secured innovation funding to trial the HAYSYS PIU Phase Identification Unit over nine months, assessing its effectiveness in supporting fault location and producing a cost–benefit analysis for potential adoption within SSEN’s fault‑finding procedures. The project also developed and delivered training for operational staff, and concluded that the HAYSYS PIU can be used for a wider range of tasks than originally anticipated.
