Why system-level engineering matters for resilience and continuity of service
Electrical networks are now critical infrastructure in every sense of the term. They underpin essential services, industrial activity, and public safety, while operating under increasing constraints linked to ageing assets, rising demand, and growing expectations in terms of security and reliability. In this context, the protection of key assets such as large power transformers can no longer be addressed in isolation. It must be approached as part of a broader, system-level perspective focused on network resilience and continuity of service.
As utilities adapt to this evolving environment, the central question is no longer whether incidents can be completely avoided, but how their consequences can be understood, anticipated, and managed within the realities of operational power systems.
From asset protection to system resilience
Large power transformers play a central role in transmission and distribution networks, not only because of their technical characteristics, but because of the function they perform within the electrical system. When a transformer is affected by an internal incident, the impact is rarely confined to the equipment itself. Safety risks, environmental exposure, damage to adjacent assets, and network disruption can extend well beyond the immediate footprint of the event.
For this reason, protection strategies are increasingly framed around system-level resilience rather than individual components alone. The objective is not to eliminate the possibility of failure, but to limit its consequences, preserve the integrity of surrounding infrastructure, and support the continued operation of the network as a whole. This reflects a growing consensus among utilities: resilience is a property of systems, not of individual assets.
This perspective aligns with the increasing emphasis placed by standards bodies on system-level risk and resilience.
Why engineering matters in critical infrastructure protection
Addressing these challenges requires more than the addition of isolated protective devices. Effective protection of critical power infrastructure depends on an engineering-led approach that considers physical phenomena, network configuration, operating practices, and site-specific constraints in an integrated manner.
Engineering approaches to critical infrastructure protection are built on a combination of analytical studies, controlled testing, and accumulated field experience. This foundation enables engineering teams to understand failure mechanisms, assess potential consequences, and design solutions that are consistent with real-world operating environments. Such an approach recognizes that every installation is unique and that protection strategies must be adapted to context rather than applied as generic, one-size-fits-all solutions.
By integrating engineering analysis with practical experience, utilities can better align protection measures with broader resilience objectives, while remaining consistent with operational, safety, and regulatory frameworks.
SERGI’s positioning: an engineering partner for critical power infrastructure
It is within this context that SERGI defines its positioning.
SERGI is an engineering partner focused on the protection of critical power infrastructure and the resilience of electrical networks, supporting continuity of service.
This positioning reflects an approach centered on engineering expertise and long-term collaboration with infrastructure owners and operators. Rather than focusing on individual products, SERGI’s role is to support utilities in addressing complex protection challenges through a structured understanding of risks, physical phenomena, and system interactions.
By working upstream of design and decision-making processes, SERGI contributes to protection strategies that are aligned with network-level objectives and grounded in the realities of operation and maintenance. This engineering-led perspective enables protection measures to be integrated into broader infrastructure resilience strategies, rather than treated as isolated technical additions.
Supporting continuity of service from a system-level perspective
In discussions around critical infrastructure, continuity of service is sometimes interpreted as the uninterrupted operation of individual assets. In practice, continuity of service is a system-level objective. It refers to the ability of the electrical network to continue fulfilling its essential function, even when individual components are affected by incidents.
From this perspective, supporting continuity of service involves limiting the scale and severity of consequences, protecting adjacent equipment, reducing safety and environmental risks, and enabling effective network reconfiguration and recovery strategies. It is inherently linked to redundancy, operational preparedness, and the overall architecture of the network.
Engineering-based protection approaches contribute to this objective by helping utilities anticipate how incidents may propagate within an installation and by supporting measures that reduce their broader impact. These approaches complement, rather than replace, organizational, operational, and network-level resilience measures.
A long-term engineering commitment
As electrical networks continue to evolve, the protection of critical power infrastructure will remain a central element of system resilience. Meeting this challenge requires a long-term commitment to engineering rigour, realistic risk assessment, and close alignment with the operational realities of utilities.
SERGI’s positioning reflects this commitment. By focusing on engineering-led protection and system-level resilience, SERGI supports utilities in addressing the complex and evolving challenges associated with critical power infrastructure, while contributing to the broader objective of continuity of service at the network level.
Learn more about SERGI’s engineering approach to critical power infrastructure protection.
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