In this episode, OMICRON partial discharge (PD) measurement and analysis expert Caspar Steineke offers a first-hand account of the last 20 years of OMICRON MPD technology and how it has revolutionized PD testing worldwide.

Caspar describes how MPD technology began 20 years ago in response to industry requirements for functionality that had not existed before, such as synchronous, multi-channel and highly stable, repeatable PD measurements with data recording for reliable post analysis.

Caspar highlights how engaging with users, listening carefully to their needs and application requirements, played an essential role in MPD development and has resulted in many groundbreaking features that make PD measurement and analysis easier and more reliable for a diverse range of PD testing applications.

Lastly, Caspar describes the future of PD testing and how MPD technology will continue to evolve to meet user needs.

Caspar has been a guest before on Energy Talks, such as Episode 72 about The Essentials of Partial Discharge Testing on Electrical Equipment.

Discover our universal MPD 800 for PD testing: MPD 800

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This past year in 2024, OMICRON celebrated its 40-year anniversary of developing innovative solutions for power system testing, data management and cybersecurity. It all started with a vision for protection relay testing and the development of OMICRON's groundbreaking CMC technology. After all this time it is still a widely used and go-to solution for protection relay testing.

In this episode of Energy Talks, we learn about the history of CMC technology from Martin Pfanner. He is an OMICRON product manager and one of the original developers of OMICRON CMC technology. Martin describes the journey of the company from its humble beginnings in a basement to becoming a worldwide leader in protection testing technology and beyond.

Martin discusses the initial development and evolution of CMC technology based on the vision of OMICRON’s founder, Rainer Aberer. Martin also highlights the challenges faced in the industry, how user feedback and teamwork have been crucial in shaping CMC technology, and how they have laid the foundation for the company’s global expansion and development of other innovative solutions used to ensure the integrity, safety and security of power system equipment.

In episode #92, we spoke with product manager Stephan Geiger about OMICRON’s CMC 500, which is the latest generation of CMC technology.

Learn more about protection relay testing.

In this episode of Energy Talks, we talk about the development of the CMC 500 – OMICRON’s new modular, multi-phase protection relay test set and commissioning tool. This groundbreaking device provides a versatile solution to current and future challenges in protection testing and sets a new industry benchmark.

Which challenges do utilities face? How do you develop a test set that covers heterogeneous requirements in the best possible way – and yet is still conveniently compact and lightweight for use on site? How can cybersecurity and work safety be incorporated into the design from the ground up?

To answer these questions, Stephan Geiger, CMC 500 Product Manager and Product Management Lead at OMICRON, provides an insight into the development of this next-generation solution for protection testing.

Get more information about OMICRON's CMC 500 now:

Learn more about protection relay testing here: Protection Relay Testing

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In Energy Talks Episode 82, we spoke in detail with experts Christian Raunig and Theodor Connor, about the revision of the EN 50522 standard for earthing (grounding) testing. The focus was on how this European standard was developed, the work of the standards committee, and the recent changes to the content of the standard.

In this episode, we dive even deeper into the subject matter and discuss the impact on measurements using the revised EN 50522 standard with Josef Schmidbauer, an expert in earthing (grounding) testing and product manager of OMICRON’s COMPANO 100. Josef highlights the implications of recent updates made to the EN 50522 standard, including the recommended earthing (grounding) measurement procedures to enhance safety and reliability. Josef also discusses the importance of touch voltage measurements, interference suppression methods, and the advantages of the frequency-selective method for earthing (grounding) measurements. Lastly, he explains how modern testing equipment allows for safer, more efficient and highly reliable earthing and grounding testing.

If you are interested in this topic – be sure to listen to this previous episode of Energy Talks: Earthing/Grounding System Testing - Eliminating Harmful Electrical Shocks

More information about earthing/grounding testing: Grounding System

Interested in this topic? Be sure to listen to the following previous episode of Energy Talks: OMICRON Calibrations – Ensuring the Most Precise Measurement Results

We would really like to know what you think about Energy Talks and which topics you would like to hear more about. To do this, simply send us an email to [email protected] and be sure to give us a star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Thanks for your feedback!

Have you ever wondered why and how often you should calibrate your power system testing devices to ensure they perform at their best?

Calibration is the key to maintaining accuracy and reliability of power system testing devices. Whether you are a regular testing device user, managing a fleet of testing solutions, ensuring the precision of manufacturing equipment, or simply curious about how often it makes sense to send a testing device back for calibration - we have you covered!

In this episode, Lisa Gruber, Product Manager for Product Servicing at OMICRON, highlights the importance of regular calibration for ensuring the accuracy and reliability of power system testing equipment, and the factors that determine how often testing devices should be calibrated.

Lisa also explains the differences between factory and ISO/IEC 17025 calibrations, emphasizing the significance of choosing the right calibration service. As an example, Lisa describes how OMICRON handles this essential area for its customers.

More information about calibration services at OMICRON can be found here: Technical Support

Interested in this topic? Be sure to listen to the following previous episode of Energy Talks: OMICRON Calibrations – Ensuring the Most Precise Measurement Results

We would really like to know what you think about Energy Talks and which topics you would like to hear more about. To do this, simply send us an email to [email protected] and be sure to give us a star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Thanks for your feedback!

When performing substation equipment testing, expectations are high for a smooth and complete testing process. But how can you ensure testing is carried out efficiently to save time, reduce costs, and provide high-quality results?

In this episode, we speak with Naresh Soni, the founder of Akron Energy in India. His service company provides complete testing, commissioning, maintenance, and condition-based monitoring of substation power equipment in switchyards up to 765 KV all over India. Naresh discusses the critical aspects of substation equipment testing and the importance of optimization to save time and costs while ensuring reliability, safety, and security.

Naresh also shares his insights into the challenges faced in the field, the role of advanced technology and data analytics, and the future trends that will shape substation asset management. He also emphasizes the need for a systematic approach to testing and the adoption of innovative tools to enhance efficiency, safety, and security.

Interested in this topic? Be sure to listen to the following previous episodes of Energy Talks:

We would really like to know what you think about Energy Talks and which topics you would like to hear more about. To do this, simply send us an email to [email protected] and be sure to give us a star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Thanks for your feedback!

Generators and motors produce the electrical power and propulsion needed to move maritime vessels like cruise ships, cargo ships, and tankers. But before any boat leaves a port, all its rotating electrical machines must be in top condition to ensure reliable operation on the high seas.

In this episode, Christian Quell discusses how he and his team ensure the reliable performance of rotating electrical machines on ships. Christian is the co-owner and head of testing at E+A (Elektrotechnik und Aggregatebau) , a company based in Bremerhaven, Germany, that specializes in rotating electrical machine testing, diagnostics, repair, and refurbishment for all types of ships.

Christian tells us more about his company and his experience testing rotating electrical machines on ships. He explains how testing generators and motors on ships differs from testing them on land, for example, in an industrial plant. Christian highlights the differences in the testing environments and time constraints and how they make testing on ships more challenging.

Christian also describes the mechanical and electrical insulation tests he and his team perform to assess the condition of machines on ships, when these tests are performed, and how test results are documented. He also explains how he and his team ensure machine repairs are performed efficiently and reliably on a tight schedule.

Interested in this topic? Be sure to listen to a previous episode of Energy Talks:

We welcome your questions and feedback. Simply send us an email to [email protected].

Working with electricity is always dangerous, especially when dealing with high-voltage electrical equipment, where every task can be a matter of life or death. Electrical engineers must depend on their vigilance, strict adherence to electrical safety rules, and even the safety features in their testing equipment to ensure maximum safety when working around electrical power.

In this episode, we speak with Jakob Hämmerle, Safety Product Manager at OMICRON. He offers tips for power system testing safety in high-voltage environments and describes how life-saving features are included and continuously optimized in OMICRON power system testing devices.

Jakob clarifies that while OMCRON testing devices will unlikely come with life vests, airbags, safety belts, and anti-roll bars any time soon, customers can be sure that the company is constantly developing new, practical safety features that aim to make power system testing as simple, efficient, and safe as possible. Jakob also explains how a product safety risk assessment, or PRSA, is used throughout product development to eliminate user risk.

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In this episode, we speak with OMICRON Sales and Application Engineer Jere Polojärvi in Finland. Jere has several years of experience in building new and modernizing older substations. He worked with various substation equipment as a commissioning engineer for electrical contractors before joining OMICRON. Jere shares his experiences dealing with challenges presented by continuously evolving power grids and substation equipment in his region.

Jere discusses how continuous training, open communication, and detailed documentation are essential to helping substation engineers work effectively in evolving power grids. He describes the critical aspect of red-pen documentation to identify changes in original substation designs. He also emphasizes the importance of an active feedback exchange between substation engineers, contractors, and asset manufacturers to reflect actual field experience.

Lastly, Jere encourages substation engineers to be proactive, ask questions, and network with colleagues to stay informed and learn from others’ experiences to improve their work.

We would really like to know what you think about Energy Talks and which topics you would like to hear more about. To do this, simply send us an email to [email protected] and be sure to give us a star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Thanks for your feedback!

Welcome to the first episode of our new Energy Talks miniseries, Why Should We Talk About Incident Response? Join OMICRON cybersecurity experts Andreas Klien and Simon Romer as they explore the critical roles of IT and OT in cyber incident response and disaster recovery alongside other experts from the power industry.

In this episode, Andreas and Simon discuss disaster recovery from an OT perspective, using a recent CrowdStrike incident as a case study. Simon also highlights key considerations for utilities when developing OT incident response and recovery processes and offers practical tips for those without established plans.

We want to hear from you! If you work at a utility, please share your experiences implementing OT response and recovery processes – what prompted you to start, and what challenges have you faced? If you would like to contribute, email us at omicroncybersecurity.com and we may feature your story in an upcoming episode.

Stay tuned for upcoming episodes in our miniseries Why Should We Talk About Incident Response?

Learn more about OMICRON’s approach to advanced cybersecurity for OT environments.

We would really like to know what you think about Energy Talks and which topics you would like to hear more about. To do this, simply send us an email to [email protected] and be sure to give us a star review on Spotify or Apple Podcast. Thanks for your feedback!