Grid Infrastructure

The technical specialists in grid development and in grid construction and maintenance guarantee an efficient and safe grid infrastructure. They are also responsible for carrying out the necessary modernisation work on the extra-high-voltage grid. Their role includes planning, construction, management and maintenance of the grid installations. They also control all the services associated with overhead and underground lines, as well as switching and control technology. In practice, that means that they ensure that over 12,000 electricity pylons, 6,700 kilometres of power lines and 41 connections to the European electricity grid function perfectly, both indoors and out.

Grid Project Manager Job Portrait

My job is largely comprised of dialogue and coordination with installation and construction managers, software project managers and other stakeholders.
Nicolas Helwig, Grid Project Manager

As a Grid Project Manager and member of a team of around twenty project managers, Nicolas Helwig is responsible for the construction or modernisation of substations. A substation may need to be modernised, or a new one may need to be constructed for technical or safety reasons or because the substation has reached the end of its service life. In this case Nicolas and his team colleagues take on the project and supervise it from the preparation of the construction through to commissioning. In close collaboration with our asset managers, the engineering teams, the health, safety & environment managers and with external partners, he connects the substation to the rest of the electricity grid before handing it over to the Grid Maintenance Manager.

Grid Maintenance Manager Job Portrait

My installations are often in the mountains, and I frequently have to deal with possible natural hazards. For me, a mountain man, that’s perfect.
Hans-Christian Widmer, Grid Maintenance Manager

Hans-Christian Widmer’s work as a Grid Maintenance Manager is not always predictable. He is responsible for the extra-high-voltage lines in the Graubünden region, so he spends half his time working outdoors on the various line routes. Due to the topologically complex nature of the region, Hans-Christian repeatedly faces the risks posed by natural hazards. To ensure that the installations remain in optimum condition, he organises spare materials, initiates safety measures and works closely with the project managers, landowners and line owners of the regional energy producers. In his office Hans-Christian takes care of document management for the installations, as well as awarding contracts and supervising their implementation.