Kansai Electric Power Company
Kansai Electric Power Company optimizes its power plants with AVEVA PI System
The 2011 Fukushima earthquake profoundly transformed the Japanese power industry and led the government to liberalize the national electricity market. For Kansai Electric Power Company, the country's second-largest generator, this reform ended its regional monopoly and opened competition in a new $200 billion market. The company now had to optimize its generation while creating value-added services to retain and win customers. To meet this challenge, Kansai integrated its nine power plants into AVEVA PI System and created digital twins of its equipment using Asset Framework. The platform unlocks the value of data across the enterprise and fuels an ambitious business strategy. The results speak for themselves: $3 million in annual savings at a single plant, and the launch of a customer-facing Value Creation Services program to differentiate Kansai's offering in this competitive market.
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FAQ
How did AVEVA PI System transform Kansai's power plants as the Japanese market was liberalized?
After the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, the liberalization of Japan's electricity market opened up a new $200 billion market. Kansai Electric Power Company, the country's second-largest producer, integrated its nine power plants into AVEVA PI System and created equipment digital twins using Asset Framework. This platform unifies operational data management across the enterprise, optimizes generation and supports the business strategy in what is now a competitive environment.
What is Asset Framework and why is it strategic for a power plant operator?
Asset Framework is the AVEVA PI System module that structures operational data around an asset hierarchy (plants, units, equipment). For Kansai, it made it possible to create consistent digital twins across all nine of its power plants. These models contextualize real-time data, make cross-site comparisons easier and speed up analyses. It is the essential foundation of a data-driven strategy in power generation, where every tenth of a percent of efficiency counts.
How does AVEVA PI System unlock the value of data across an energy company?
AVEVA PI System collects, contextualizes and distributes real-time operational data to all of Kansai's teams: engineers, operators, analysts and business developers. This democratization of data drives both production optimization and the creation of value-added services for customers. The Value Creation Services program launched by Kansai shows how a data platform can generate new revenue beyond simple internal optimization. Data becomes a strategic asset.
What financial results did Kansai achieve thanks to AVEVA PI System?
Kansai Electric Power Company achieved $3 million in annual savings at just one of its nine power plants thanks to AVEVA PI System. These gains come from optimizing operating parameters, made possible by unified data visibility. Extending this to the entire fleet and launching the Value Creation Services program for customers demonstrate the cumulative value of a real-time data management platform, both for internal optimization and for commercial differentiation in a competitive market.
How can value-added services be created to build customer loyalty in a deregulated electricity market?
With liberalization, Kansai could no longer rely on its position as a regional monopoly. The company used AVEVA PI System to launch a Value Creation Services program for its customers: energy audits, consumption optimization and data-driven recommendations. This approach turns the electricity producer into a strategic partner for its customers, creating a competitive advantage that is hard to replicate. It is a relevant model for all utilities facing the opening of their markets.