Leaks are clearly visible: control of the heating system is being digitized

A new dispatch center for the heating networks of the Siberian Generating Company, the main supplier of heat in the city of one million people, has been put into operation in Novosibirsk. The company notes that thanks to digital monitoring and operational data on the operation of the equipment, it was possible to reduce the response time to accidents by more than half and save resources. How the concessionaire company transfers control of the networks to digital is described in the Izvestia article.

Digital trace of leaks

SGK has been developing a digital control system for the operation of its equipment for several years. The company's specialists managed to develop and implement the system themselves using domestic components. According to Dmitry Peryazev, General Director of JSC SGK-Novosibirsk, the Russian development proved to be much better in operation than its foreign counterparts.

Acoustic sensors and ultrasonic flowmeters monitor network defects. The thermal chambers are equipped with sensors that respond to water ingress and temperature, so dispatchers receive information about leaks even before the water comes to the surface.

In two years, 183 heat chambers have been equipped with such sensors, and 56 more are planned to be equipped next year.

The implementation of online monitoring has already shown its results: the project has halved the response time to defects.

It was also possible to achieve a reduction in resource losses. From November 2024 to May 2025, coolant leaks decreased by 44.5 thousand cubic meters, and thermal energy — by 2,226 Gcal.

"At a minimum, this will help us significantly reduce the time needed to determine the location of the defect and eliminate it," said Oleg Klemeshov, Deputy Governor of the Novosibirsk Region, who visited the new dispatch center.

Separation of heat supply circuits

Special attention was paid to the left bank of Novosibirsk, where there were large mass blackouts. The situation was complicated by the fact that all the heat supply of the left bank – CHP-2, CHP-3 and the district boiler house — were combined into one network, and with a major defect, the quality of heat supply to this entire large circuit deteriorated – that is, a significant part of the houses.

Therefore, on the left bank, in addition to the large-scale replacement of pipes and the installation of sensors, work was underway to separate the CHP zones. For this purpose, the capacity of the pumping station PNS-2 was increased, a recharge unit was created between the zones of CHP-2 and CHP-3, which will ensure the operation of heat supply systems in case of leakage. About 20 thermal chambers on the left bank were equipped with shut-off valves with a hydraulic drive, which, unlike the electric one, operates even in case of flooding.

— In the spring, at the end of the heating period, we tried the scheme of operation of this node and made sure that this event pays off, — Dmitry Peryazev told reporters at the opening of the dispatch center.

The Reliable Left Bank program has been completed, and now SGC intends to pay closer attention to the right bank of Novosibirsk.

Continue updating

The Novosibirsk division of SGK notes that in the next five years they plan to maintain the volume of re-installation of heating networks in the city and continue to develop a remote monitoring system that not only reduces the time required to eliminate emergency situations, but also helps to extend the service life of the equipment.

Currently, the company operates on the principle of advanced investments, and this has borne fruit: during the period of the company's investment program and the concession agreement, it has been possible to reduce the wear of main heating networks by 13%.

The total investments of SGK in the heating grid complex of Novosibirsk in 2022-2025 amounted to over 27 billion rubles. This made it possible to replace, repair and build a total of over 230 km of new heating networks, modernize 278 central heating points and four pumping stations.