Power arm achieves great strides in digital transformation journey
AboitizPower continues to look forward to a bright energy future with innovation and digital transformation at its helm. With the Aboitiz Group gearing towards becoming the first “Techglomerate” in the country, AboitizPower endeavors to maintain its relevance in the energy industry for years to come by leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge technologies.
Through its digital transformation strategy or the DigitaLeap program, AboitizPower made great strides in optimizing its operations across all its businesses, including generation, distribution, and commercial operations. Among the innovation projects implemented recently is the migration of AboitizPower Distribution Utilities’ IT infrastructure to the cloud, increasing system reliability and scalability, reducing operating costs, and improving overall service to its one million customers nationwide. The digitalization of Visayan Electric’s and Davao Light’s select substations has also made monitoring and troubleshooting less time-consuming, boosting reliability and efficiency.
On the generation front, the AboitizPower’s Asset Performance Management (APM) Predictive Analytics System in its Therma South facility is another milestone in the company’s digital transformation journey. The system uses advanced pattern recognition (APR) analytics with machine learning and artificial intelligence to process data from machine sensors of critical assets and diagnose early warning signs of equipment failure. AboitizPower also began installing operational technology (OT) cybersecurity systems in its facilities to ensure every power plant meets minimum security levels. Therma Visayas, which manages its baseload plant in Toledo, Cebu, was the first to complete this process.
As AboitizPower continues to explore and navigate the digital space, its recently launched Data Innovation Program, in partnership with Aboitiz Data Innovation, helps the company make data-driven analyses and decisions. AboitizPower President and CEO Emmanuel Rubio stressed the importance of innovation and data science in making impactful progress towards the company’s bottomline while benefiting customers. “We seek to not just experiment for the sake of experimentation, but to experiment to solve real operational problems that matter and will provide financial return and the opportunity for market leadership,” Rubio said.
Luis Gonzales, AboitizPower Chief Data Officer and Aboitiz Data Innovation general manager for power industry, also stressed the importance of learning algorithms allowing for a sustainable energy transition. “AboitizPower’s collaboration with Aboitiz Data Innovation will enable and accelerate business strategies targeted at creating long-term value for its customers and key stakeholders as well as helping reduce impact to the environment and the cost of electricity per kWh,” Gonzalez added.
Chat Balita, vice president and head of innovation and digital transformation at AboitizPower, said the company’s Innovation DNA, which consists of five elements – future thinker, network mindset, data-storyteller, digital first, and agile execution – plays a significant role in ensuring the success of the company’s digital transformation journey. “They serve as the building blocks of making AP a truly innovative company,” Balita said, adding that this will serve as the guiding framework for the company’s innovation initiatives. #
