Estabanell y Pahisa Energia, S.A. (EPESA) was founded in 1996 as a result of legal changes in the electrical sector, but its original electrical activity began in 1910.
EPESA (http://www.estabanell.cat) has a network of over 1.100 km from Camprodon to Granollers, servicing more than 56.000 power customers, with two substations where it connects to the transmission network at 220kV, distributing electricity through more than 800 secondary substations. EPESA combines the roles of Distribution Systems Operator (DSO) and retailer, in the electricity domain, deploying a customer focused relationship marketing, and as telecom operator, providing dark fibre and PLC based telecommunications.
The main business activity is electric electricity distribution, but since the last ten years it is collaborating with several technological sectors to test and develop new telecommunications technologies over the MV grid using PLC (Power Line Communications). Since technology and equipment became available, their technicians have been performing pilot tests related to remote management, having attained sufficient knowledge to proceed to systematic deployment while aware of the important challenges of rural, dispersed communications and respect for the environment. The company has created, since 1984, its own telecommunications network and automation of power distribution network operation.
EPESA is a founding member of the national association of small independent distributors ASEME and is also member of GEODE association, which comprises European local distributors serving over 100 million customers.
It actively participates in the design of telecommunications networks in the physical environment, using networks of high, medium and low voltage data transmission providing value to a structure that shares electricity capacity and telecommunications.
Tasks in the project
- Living lab and reinforcement of all activities related to Demand Response
- Definition of the technical requirements
- Relationship with the prosumers and the municipality
- Connection of the deployed systems with the control room
Responsible
Task 10.7 Pilot implementation in Spain
Core competences
Smart Grid vision. Transforming the DSO into a Smart DSO