VoltA – A Technical Magazine by CIGRE Romania

The VoltA magazine was launched by CIGRE Romania and is available in both Romanian and English. The editorial team consists of members of CIGRE Romania Next Generation Network, who are responsible for coordinating and managing the project.

The magazine’s structure includes several core sections, while remaining open to new ideas and contributions. These sections comprise of the following: a foreword, updates on CIGRE Romania’s activities, overview of key national and international CIGRE events, technical articles authored by industry experts, case studies developed by energy companies, interviews with globally recognized figures, and a calendar of upcoming events.

Foreword Section

In previous editions, the VoltA magazine has traditionally opened with a foreword section authored by distinguished professionals from academia, industry, and key institutions. This section underscores the essential link between scientific innovation, technological progress, and their effective coordination and implementation in the energy sector. Contributions have featured prominent voices such as:

Philippe ADAM – Secretary General of CIGRE
Rannveig S. J. Løken – Chair of the CIGRE Technical Council
Ciprian Diaconu – Chair of CIGRE Romania
Mihaela Albu – Professor and PhD Engineer at the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest and Chair of CIGRE Romania Women in Energy
Ion Lungu – Energy Expert and Chair of the Romanian National Committee of World Energy Council
Koji Kawakita – Vice-Chair, CIGRE Editorial Board

Follow-up Section Dedicated to CIGRE Romania Events

This section offers an overview of CIGRE Romania’s most recent or future activities, showcasing their role in advancing technical knowledge and fostering collaboration among professionals, especially the younger generation in the energy sector:

Regional South‑East Europe Conference (RSEEC) 2024

The 7th biennial edition, held in October 2024 at Politehnica University of Timisoara under the title “Next Generation Network Conference” brought together engineers, researchers, decision‑makers, and technology providers for a dynamic exchange of ideas on the future of power systems.

Condition Monitoring Diagnosis and Maintenance (CMDM) 2025

Scheduled for 28^th – 30^th of October 2025, the upcoming edition of the CIGRE Romania Conference on Condition, Monitoring, Diagnosis and Maintenance will provide a high-level platform for technical dialogue on asset management, digital substations, predictive maintenance, and innovations in equipment monitoring. The event will gather experts from utilities, manufacturers, academia, and research institutions across Romania and beyond.

Call for Papers for Upcoming Conferences

The Call for Papers section plays a vital role in shaping the technical and scientific direction of CIGRE conferences by inviting contributions from experts across academia, industry, and system operations. It serves as a valuable platform for sharing insights on emerging developments and key challenges in the energy sector. In particular, it encourages the active involvement of young professionals, offering them the opportunity to present their work, gain visibility, and engage in meaningful dialogue with established leaders in the field.

Technical Articles by Industry Experts

The article section in the four published editions of the magazine offers an analysis of the profound transformations shaping the Romanian energy sector within the dynamic context of the global energy transition. Contributions come from experts in industry, academia, and operators, reflecting a diverse range of technical and strategic perspectives. Topics covered include the digitalization of energy infrastructure, cyber resilience, optimizing power system operations, live line working, principles of measurement used in the monitoring of transformer units and advanced integration of renewable energy sources into Romania’s power grid. The active participation of universities, transmission and distribution operators, as well as private sector companies, confirms the professional maturity of the Romanian energy sector and its capacity to meet the challenges of the energy transition.

Case Studies Developed by Energy Companies

The Case Study section highlights innovation, practical solutions, and the role of energy companies in improving the performance, resilience, and sustainability of the power system. It also showcases modern technologies supporting the sector’s transition, with valuable contributions from international companies through applied case studies:

Eximprod Group showcased the composite insulators developed in-house, emphasizing the innovative features they bring and their successful deployment across multiple substations – a clear reflection of the company's dedication to advancing electrical equipment technology.
Retele Electrice Romania, part of the PPC Group details the modernization of the 110/20/10 kV București Nord substation, the most complex substation within the distribution system, which plays a critical role in supplying electricity to approximately 73000 consumers in the Bucharest area.
The SentryOT Platform, developed by Enevo Group, provides visibility, early threat detection, and effective response. Leveraging artificial intelligence, SentryOT enhances situational awareness and delivers clear, relevant data to both security analysts and process operators, supporting the cyber resilience of energy infrastructure.
Electromontaj executed the 400 kV double-circuit Cernavodă – Stâlpu power line, a strategic European project that strengthens Romania’s connection to the continental grid, enhances interconnection with Bulgaria, and facilitates the integration of wind energy from the Dobrogea region.
EnergoBit develops and implements Digital Twin technologies and Operational Limitation Automation (ALO) systems, solutions that enable real-time monitoring of electrical networks, automate energy flow control, and efficiently manage variations caused by renewable energy sources.
Distributie Energie Oltenia has developed and implemented an advanced distribution management system (ADMS). Within this system, they created a method to validate the selectivity and accuracy of protection settings, demonstrated through a case study verifying the time-delayed overcurrent protection and directional sensitive earth fault protection settings for a medium voltage overhead line supplied from a transformer station.
Schneider Electric developed an innovative AI-driven method to calculate the total CO2 footprint (both direct and indirect) for all loads throughout an electrical network. They utilize a Digital Twin platform for accurate CO2 modeling, including the calculation of Locational Marginal Emission (LME) based on the energy mix at each node or location within the network.

Interviews with Industry Professionals

This section plays a vital role in connecting the academic and scientific communities, system operators, regulatory authorities, and industry stakeholders. It highlights valuable insights from experts with extensive experience, giving readers the opportunity to better understand current challenges, development directions, and innovative solutions in the energy sector. VoltA magazine has featured interviews with:

Professor and PhD Engineer Diana Robescu – Dean of the Faculty of Energy at the National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest
PhD Engineer Petru Rușeț – Managing Director of Siemens Energy Romania
Sebastian Enache – Head of M&A at MONSSON
Cristian Secosan – General Manager at Delgaz Grid
Valeriu Binig – Strategy Principal la PPC Group
Doina Ilisiu – expert in Romania’s power system, former head of the Technical Control of Grid Code Requirements Department at the National Dispatch Center
Mircea Eremia – Professor emeritus and PhD Engineer at the National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest.

In conclusion, VoltA magazine serves as a platform for promoting technological advancement and knowledge exchange in the energy sector. By showcasing research, innovative projects, and forward-thinking initiatives, it brings visibility to the work of specialists, companies, and institutions from Romania and the international energy community – contributing to a smarter, more resilient, and sustainable energy future.