New robot to help identify electrical faults rolled out in Blackhillock HVDC Substation – the first of its kind in Scotland

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  • New robot will monitor equipment in the high-voltage direct current switching station – inaccessible to engineers once energised - to check for faults and issues

 A new autonomous robot to help check electrical equipment is being deployed at SSEN Transmission’s Blackhillock high-voltage direct current (HVDC) switching station in Keith later this month - the first deployment of its kind in Scotland. 

The new robot – known as EXTRM MK4.1 – has been developed by tech company Ross Robotics and is being used in electricity high-voltage converter stations to help monitor and inspect electrical components, identifying any faults or future maintenance requirements.

The roll-out of the robot follows on from a successful two-week trial at SSEN Transmission’s Noss Head Switching Station in Wick in 2023, which allowed project teams to run a series of tests and programmes for the new robot.  The robot’s new home in SSEN Transmission’s HVDC converter station in Blackhillock, near Keith, marks the first time such technology has been used on the electricity transmission network in Scotland.

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations operate at an extremely high voltage level of electricity, meaning service personnel cannot access many of the electrical environments when energised and in operation. 

At present, SSEN Transmission’s HVDC converter stations are monitored using remote systems and static CCTV cameras to check for any issues, however they do not provide full visibility of the electrical equipment and its condition.    Instead, scheduled planned outages are put in place where the systems are shut down and isolated to allow engineers to carry out close inspections of the electrical components. 

Despite high reliability of HVDC stations, unplanned outages are possible which can cause disruption across the transmission network in the north of Scotland, and it is hoped that the robot can help mitigate the risk of such disruptions occurring. 

Ross Robotics’ EXTRM MK4.1 robot is built to withstand the extreme high-voltage electricity systems and is fitted with a series of cameras and sensors including state-of-the-art visual imaging, thermal imaging and acoustic imaging to find abnormalities which enable valuable data to be collected.  The data is collated to allow the asset operators to make informed decisions in relation to any future maintenance.

The robot has four all-terrain wheels and weighs around 25kg, meaning it is small enough to roam the high-voltage halls unassisted while ensuring it gathers key data. Once it has finished its pre-programmed route of the building, the robot returns to its charging port in the hall.

The project is part of SSEN Transmission’s Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) AIM High project, which aims to find innovative ways to help ensure the transmission network in the north of Scotland continues to operate safely and efficiently. 

Deploying the new EXTRM MK4.1 robot into the Blackhillock HVDC converter station follows on from months of close working with teams and engineers from SSEN Transmission and Ross Robotics.

Tania Shaw, SSEN Transmission Innovation Project Manager, said:

“This is a really exciting step in our ongoing Aim High Innovation Project with Ross Robotics and follows on from months of careful testing and configurations to ensure the robot is ready for its new home at Blackhillock HVDC Converter Station later this month.  

“Deploying the EXTRM MK4.1 means we can check the condition of our electrical equipment and assets in real-time in the HVDC halls, meaning we can establish and identify any areas which require maintenance quickly to include within planned outages.

“Engineers cannot enter the halls when they are energised, and any innovation which can help us mitigate against unplanned outages, efficiently monitor our equipment in real-time while is a huge advantage to the north of Scotland transmission network. 

“We look forward to seeing the new robot in action later this month, and hopefully look to deploy similar innovations elsewhere on our network in the future.” 

Dominic Cusk, Managing Director of Ross Robotics, said:

"We're very excited to be part of this important project with SSEN Transmission. The deployment of our robot at Blackhillock HVDC Converter hall will deliver a new level of monitoring for this type of critical asset and the data captured will support the transition towards predictive maintenance, with all the operational, availability and commercial benefits it brings."