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A look behind the scenes: How we continuously improve at a grid operator

27
Feb

Improven has grown up managing, improving and innovating processes. That is what we enjoy doing to this day, together with our customers! Out of genuine curiosity about how organisations work, we improve processes with passion and experience. In this blog, we take you through how we put our philosophy of continuous improvement into practice. Because, and we truly believe in it, there really is always room for improvement!

The challenge at this grid operator

A year and a half ago, we started working together at one of the largest grid operators in the Netherlands. The energy sector is facing its biggest challenge ever: energy transition. In short, this means the transition from a fossil-driven energy system to a sustainable, decentralised system with a focus on energy saving and storage.

This transition is having a huge impact on the operations of this grid operator. The demand for electric cars, heat pumps and solar panels is growing explosively. As of 2023, more than 54% of energy consumption in the Netherlands will consist of generated electricity. This means that the electricity grid will be much more heavily loaded than in the past 50 years. The result? Grid congestion: overcrowded electricity grids that can lead to power cuts. In certain regions of the Netherlands, it is already the case that at peak times, electricity fails.

The grid operator has a clear promise: In 2030, we want to offer customers solutions that fit an affordable and reliable energy system, contributing to a climate-neutral Netherlands in 2050.

To realise this ambition, optimal communication within and between chains is crucial. We were tasked with improving the smart meter chain - a process that was not functioning optimally at the start of our project.

The smart meter chain: what was the problem?

The smart meter chain's incident management team is responsible for analysing failures and identifying causes. Our analysis revealed two major bottlenecks:

  1. Many unjustified fault reports caused noise and delay.
  2. Inefficient fault handling led to long lead times.

One of the core principles of Lean Six Sigma is to eliminate waste. Unjustified failure reports and long lead times create unnecessary costs and delays in processes. With Lean Six Sigma, organisations can not only identify this waste, but also tackle it structurally.

This methodology helps not only to remove bottlenecks, but also to optimise processes. By processing faults more efficiently and organising them smarter, we can reduce lead times and improve performance.

The reason this methodology lent itself perfectly to this situation. Using this methodology and the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) model, we tackled these challenges. In this blog, we take you through the five steps we went through.

Figure 1.1. The DMAIC Model

1. Define
In this phase, we focused on the problem, formulated project goals and collected customer requirements. We mapped the process, drew up a SIPOC and determined the project scope.

Two clear focal points emerged from this analysis:

  • Reducing unjustified failure reports.
  • Reducing incident turnaround time.

These focal points were converted into key metrics that formed the basis for the rest of the project.

2. Measure
We then collected data to understand the current performance of the process. We determined the lead time and number of justified failures as baseline measurements.

These measurements gave us insight into where the biggest delays and inefficiencies were - crucial information for the next phase.

3. Analyze
During this phase, we worked with the team to thoroughly investigate the causes of the problems. We used several methods of analysis, including:

  • Fishbone diagram: to categorise possible causes together with the team.
  • The '5x why' method: To get to the heart of the problem.
  • Data analysis: To link quantitative insights to qualitative findings.

The analysis revealed three main causes "rootcauses":

  1. Polluted inflow due to wrongful reports.
  2. Manual, error-prone work.
  3. A lack of trust within the chain.

4. Improve
With these insights, we developed targeted solutions. We prioritised these initiatives using a Impact-Effort Matrix - Thus, we focused on actions with the greatest impact and feasibility.

Key improvements:

  1. Optimising the business rules of the event management system implemented last year, to further automate and improve error-prone manual tasks.
  2. Invest in team building to strengthen trust and cooperation within the team.
  3. Introducing structural consultations and dashboards for better insight and grip on the process.
  4. The introduction of an improvement board, on which the team visually tracks improvement actions and progress. This encourages continuous optimisation and creates more ownership within the team.

These measures brought structure and ownership back to the team and the chain.

5. Control
Sustainable improvement requires assurance. In this phase, we introduced control mechanisms to ensure that improvements are permanent.

After nine months, we took measurements again. The results?

  • 58% fewer failure incidents by reducing unjustified reports.
  • 80% shorter lead time of incidents.

The result is a more efficient and motivated team that handles breakdowns faster and more effectively - and customers notice!

Continuous improvement: the key to an agile organisation

Successful improvement does not stop after one project. This project at this grid operator shows how powerful the combination of data analysis, process thinking and collaboration can be. With Lean Six Sigma, we not only achieved immediate results, such as fewer fault incidents and shorter lead times, but also laid a strong foundation for lasting progress. By continuously optimising, organisations can respond flexibly to changes and remain future-proof. Continuous improvement is not a one-off action, but a mindset that ensures long-term success.

Want to know how we can help your organisation with process optimisation and sustainable improvements? Feel free to contact one of the authors, Tim or Ymke. We will be happy to tell you more!

Tim Hengeveld

Ymke van de Voort

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