Trinity aims to address the growing complexity of distribution networks brought about by new technologies, the integration of flexibility, and the digitalisation of systems. While these developments supported the transition to Net Zero, they also introduced new control points, failure modes, and system interactions — making networks increasingly difficult to manage.
To overcome these challenges, Trinity developed and deployed a control room simulator designed to enhance network control capabilities, improve operator training and provide a safe ‘sandbox’ environment for testing changes before they were introduced to the live network. Since making changes to live systems typically required lengthy processes due to strict safety protocols, the simulator enabled more efficient, lower-risk testing — helping accelerate innovation while protecting system integrity.
What is the project about?
Distribution networks have become increasingly complex due to the integration of new technologies, the introduction of flexibility services, and the digitalisation of systems. While these advancements are critical to supporting the transition to Net Zero, they also make distribution networks more difficult to manage by introducing new control points, failure modes and system interactions.
Trinity aimed to address these challenges by developing and deploying a control room simulator. The simulator was designed to improve network control, enhance training programmes, and provide a safe ‘sandbox’ environment for testing changes before they were applied to the live network. At the time, implementing network changes was a drawn-out process due to stringent safeguards in place to protect the integrity of live power management systems. Trinity’s simulator enabled more thorough pre-deployment testing, helping to accelerate innovation, improve efficiency and reduce operational risk.
How we’re doing it
Trinity engaged potential users from control room, control systems, and automation teams to gain insights into the challenges experienced across the network and to better understand how a control simulator could help address them. These discussions highlighted a heavy reliance on key personnel, the persistence of manual processes, the absence of simulator solutions, and the increasing complexity of the network driven by the transition to Net Zero.
This engagement directly informed the development of simulator use cases, which outlined key scenarios where a simulator could deliver clear benefits to users. In total, 29 use cases were defined—ranging from providing realistic training experiences that mirror live network conditions to simulating specific equipment faults to evaluate the effectiveness of automatic resolution strategies.
The simulator was deployed in a virtual environment replicating the South Eastern Power Networks licence area and demonstrated to key UK Power Networks users. This allowed the simulator to be tested on a real Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS). Critically, it enabled the deployment of each use case to evaluate whether it performed as expected or required further refinement, ensuring the simulator was fully fit for purpose before broader rollout.
What makes it innovative
At the time, distribution networks did not have access to a comprehensive, integrated network simulator—leaving no safe environment to test network changes before applying them to the live system. The simulator developed and enhanced through the Trinity project was the first of its kind for Great Britain’s distribution networks and had the potential to deliver significant benefits for control rooms nationwide.
To ensure the simulator accurately represented live network conditions, the Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC) developed an innovative validation technique. This approach compared the simulator’s outputs against those from a generic UK distribution network model using industry-standard power systems analysis software. The results confirmed the simulator’s accuracy for a number of use cases and informed further improvements in areas where discrepancies were identified.
This validation technique established a robust method for assessing simulation accuracy and will be carried forward into future innovation projects that require validation of new simulation environments. The validation model itself was designed to reflect the characteristics of networks across the UK, ensuring that the outcomes of the Trinity project can be applied to benefit other distribution network operators nationwide.
What we’re learning
Through the work completed in the Trinity project, we gained valuable insights into the development of complex digital tools—such as an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) simulator—and the key considerations required to support their successful rollout. Key learnings to date include:
The prototype simulator demonstrated clear value in optimising control procedures and de-risking the deployment of network changes, providing a safer and more efficient testing environment.
Change management will be essential for future innovation efforts to ensure the simulator is adopted effectively and can evolve into a comprehensive training platform for control room staff.
Access to accurate and complete data remains a challenge. Supplying the simulator with the right data to realistically model the network involves both technical and regulatory complexities. Data sources should be integrated wherever possible, with careful consideration of privacy regulations to ensure the simulator can leverage the growing volumes of network data.
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