State Grid rolls out smart systems to secure power supply for the 9th CIIE

According to State Grid Corporation of China, published on 5 November 2026, the firm has organised dedicated arrangements and pooled resources to strengthen power security ahead of the 9th China International Import Expo.

State Grid Shanghai Electric Power has deployed two integrated digital platforms for this year’s event. The ninth version of the Panoramic Smart Power Guarantee System operates outside the venue, while a digital twin system manages power protection inside the National Exhibition and Convention Centre. The dual set-up shifts the operational focus from emergency repairs after faults to pre-emptive risk control.

At the 110kV Zhuguang Substation, the external platform monitors upstream power feeds and circuits serving the venue in real time, triggering instant alerts for any deviation in equipment status. It incorporates three control modules for intelligent monitoring, maintenance and emergency response to standardise and streamline power protection workflows.

Inside the exhibition compound, the digital twin system assesses the health of all electrical installations and forecasts potential failures, drawing on an evaluation framework built around three dimensions, five tiers and 123 assessment factors, alongside an AI judgement mechanism combining six small-scale models and one core large model. State Grid Shanghai Electric Power has supported the venue operator to complete preventive tests for main stations and distribution facilities, and to inspect batteries for Uninterruptible Power Supply and Emergency Power Supply units. Twenty-four hidden risks have been rectified, and systems for 85 high-priority users have been connected to the smart guarantee platform.

The main grid of Shanghai forms the core power artery for the expo. A newly launched intelligent operation and maintenance platform for the primary network is used for the first time during this protection task. It automatically flags key substations and lines, carries out round-the-clock intelligent inspection for critical supply points and incoming transmission routes from outside the city. Once a protection task is issued, the platform marks relevant assets as priority targets and sends dedicated inspection orders directly to on-site teams.

Beneath the urban surface, a newly installed optical fibre monitoring system in the West Hongqiao core zone uses existing communication cables to detect mechanical excavation, cable overheating and other hazards. A total of 5,675 monitoring devices across 13 categories have been fitted along 55 cable routes in the zone, forming an underground sensing network that runs continuously.

Before the opening of the expo, State Grid Shanghai Electric Power completed three rounds of inspections and risk screening. Teams surveyed 1,591 cable routes stretching 6,844 kilometres and 776 distribution substations, with 1,327 staff members and 467 vehicle deployments. One hundred and sixty-eight fixed risk points are assigned dedicated attendants, and all designated supply equipment is maintained with zero recorded defects.