JERA realizes data-driven operation and maintenance by utilizing database of user technology and power-plant operation know-how with Azure

Digital Power Plant (DPP) project designed to transform the working style towards better problem solving

Norihisa Tegawa, Executive Officer of Global Data Analyzing Center, O&M & Engineering Strategy Division of JERA says, “In order to maintain a stable energy supply while responding to major social structural changes such as decarbonization, globalization, and the declining birthrate and aging population, we believe in the need to change the way of working.” Tegawa continues; “On the other hand, we must not forget the tremendous value of the on-site technology and know-how that we have accumulated over the years. We believe that digital technology is crucial in achieving a better way of working while maintaining and passing on this ‘On-site Strength.'"

According to Tegawa, the technology and know-how accumulated in the fields has mainly been shared on-site, and there has been a lack of sharing across the entire company. “We believe that standardizing and further advancing this knowledge through the power of digital technology is vital for our company's further growth,” he says with great emphasis.

Based on this belief, JERA launched the Digital Power Plant (DPP) project and brought together engineers from both the headquarters and power plants for agile development of solutions utilizing the latest technologies.

Selecting Microsoft as a partner to achieve greater heights

Currently leading the DPP project is Hiroaki Kamei, Executive Officer of the Digital Power Plant Promotion Group, O&M Engineering Strategy Division. Kamei explains the significance of the DPP project with the following: “The DPP project aims to create new value and a way of working that fosters co-creation among diverse personnel by linking equipment, people, data, and knowledge as one.”

“By enabling a 24-hours-a-day remote monitoring service, we will be able to provide value by preventing potential problems and by improving power plant availability through quick identification of problem causes. DPP's primary role is to contribute to the stable supply of energy and sustainable power plant operations through transformations that utilize digital technology and data,” says Kamei.

At the same time, Kamei also felt the limitations of in-house development. While in-house engineers with a thorough understanding of on-site operations could develop applications in an agile manner, they lacked the technology and expertise to develop even more advanced applications and systems. To further propel the DPP project forward, the company selected Microsoft, a company with expertise in digital technology, as its strategic collaboration partner.

“In order to accelerate the DPP project, we felt it necessary to collaborate with Microsoft, whose strengths lie in cutting-edge digital technologies such as cloud computing and AI,” said Kamei.

Communication platform that transcends time and space

JERA and Microsoft have held a series of meetings and workshops since the end of 2022, and have reached an in-depth alignment on the goals to be achieved and the value to be created from the synergy between the two parties. Hence, a partnership agreement was signed in July 2023. The first collaborative project between the two companies was the development of an innovative communication platform utilizing industrial metaverse, which combines digital twin and metaverse technologies, and generative AI technology.

Explaining the background of the development; “At that time, we felt we were facing a dilemma,” said Takehito Torii, Assistant Manager of Digital Power Plant Development Unit and G-DAC Digital Service Unit, Digital Power Plant Promotion Group, O&M Engineering Strategy Division.

“Although we were providing remote monitoring services through G-DAC, due to the remote nature of the service, communication with the on-site personnel at the power plants was mainly performed by telephone, email, or web meetings, creating time and space barriers. In cases where the client company was located overseas, there was also a language barrier on top of these barriers. Therefore, there were issues where I was not able to fully convey my message,” says Torii.

To solve this problem, the solution derived from the workshop discussion was a system in which G-DAC analysts and on-site personnel would meet and discuss the issues in a virtual room created in the metaverse space, using digital twins.

Realization of agile development based on mutual understanding

Kamei recalls, “I remember having high expectations as I felt that once this system is realized, the DPP project will also be able to make a great leap forward.”

“I felt that the data we had accumulated and the applications we had created could be consolidated on a single platform and utilized in a way where time, space, and language do not become issues. I saw tremendous potential in it,” said Kamei.

The project was launched in the spring of 2023. JERA set a goal of implementing a prototype of this communication system to the Anegasaki Power Plant by the press release scheduled for October 2023, when all units of the Anegasaki Power Plant were scheduled to begin commercial operation.

Only about six months remained before the press release. Nevertheless, through a series of workshops, it was determined that implementation of this system within the timeframe was possible as JERA understood the technical capabilities that Microsoft could offer, and Microsoft fully grasped JERA's challenges and vision.

As planned, development was done in an agile manner. At the press conference on October 10, 2023, JERA and Microsoft were able to present the result of their first joint development, along with JERA’s state-of-the-art power plant that boasts the world’s highest power generation efficiency.

The creation of a space where human resources can gather and co-create is where the value lies 

After the system has been implemented on-site, improvements will be made by monitoring actual application within the operational processes. Kamei expressed his high expectations for the system: "Knowledge stored within EKA will continue to expand, so I am excited to see the changes in the search results that the AI provides.”
Tegawa also emphasizes that while brushing up on individual functions is a must, the true significance of this system lies elsewhere.

“Our DPP project aims to create a world where people are connected beyond time and space, and where the obscure becomes clear. Therefore, we believe the true value of this joint effort lay in the fact that we created a ‘space’ where new values can be co-created, and not in the implementation of functionalities such as automatic translation of conversations or natural language searches. In addition, the fact that we were able to build such an innovative solution in such a short amount of time and be one step away from using it in actual business operation is something that I would like to regard highly,” said Tegawa.

The collaboration between JERA and Microsoft has only just begun, and activities with mid- to long-term deployment in mind will be fully embarked upon from now.

JERA, a leader in Japan's energy industry, and Microsoft, which pursues cutting-edge technology: As these two companies join hands, we may witness the creation of never seen before innovative solutions, the revolutionization of the way we work, and the emergence of innovations that could transform industries and even countries in the not-too-distant future.
Note: Titles and affiliations were accurate at the time of the interview.