State Grid Jiaxing Power Supply Co (State Grid Jiaxing) in Zhejiang province has deployed a quadruped inspection robot, an intelligent inspection robot, and an intelligent remote inspection system at the 110-kilovolt Chenzhuang substation as part of efforts to ensure a reliable power supply for the upcoming Wuzhen Summit.

Put into operation on Oct 26, the equipment supports a combined inspection model featuring detailed manual checks and coordinated intelligent inspections, enhancing equipment status monitoring, defect detection, and on-site operation efficiency to ensure the safe and stable operation of the power grid.

Inside the substation's 10-kV switchgear room, the quadruped robot — nicknamed Xiaoguang — follows a preset route as it conducts autonomous inspections. Maintenance personnel monitor images transmitted by the robot in real time and carry out manual verification, creating a dual-check mechanism that combines robotic inspections with human review.

Equipped with a high-definition visible-light camera, a 3D lidar, and an infrared temperature measurement module, Xiaoguang serves as a digital sentinel, performing tasks such as detecting equipment appearance defects and measuring temperatures.

The robot can sense the three-dimensional environment of the equipment area, navigate autonomously, and avoid obstacles. It follows preset routes and transmits inspection data to the backend system in real time. When abnormalities are detected, it automatically issues alerts and generates inspection reports, enabling frequent inspections while reducing the workload of maintenance personnel and improving detection accuracy.

At designated times each day, Xiaoguang leaves its autonomous docking station, completes a comprehensive inspection along its preset route, and returns automatically — without human intervention. It can also independently collect and identify equipment status data. Any detected abnormalities trigger defect alerts and work orders, while inspection data is uploaded to the backend system, providing clear information on fault types and recommended actions.

Meanwhile, another intelligent robot — Tongxun No 1 — has been specially adapted to inspect and operate equipment such as switchgear, panels, knobs, buttons, and protection plates. It can accurately identify the status of switches, knobs, protection plates, and indicator lights, enabling more precise on-site operations.

Through the backend monitoring system, managers can view a three-dimensional model of the substation, track inspection progress, and review the analysis results of each operation in real time.

The new robotic assistant reduces the need for maintenance personnel to enter equipment areas and manually operate devices one by one, helping lower the risk of operational errors and improve workplace safety. It also promotes more standardized, efficient, and safer on-site operations.

Building on the deployment of individual intelligent devices, State Grid Jiaxing has also introduced an intelligent remote inspection system. Regional inspection hosts and intelligent analysis hosts have been installed at substations to integrate sensing equipment — including high-definition cameras, drones, and acoustic fingerprint devices — into a comprehensive inspection network.

Maintenance personnel can remotely access the system to monitor substation equipment in high definition and conduct real-time analysis, without having to be physically present on site.