Introducing PIXL: Meralco’s Digital Laboratory

Meralco has introduced its digital twin laboratory that aims to help in improving the country's energy industry.

Courtesy: Meralco

Innovating Meralco's business operations

In a statement, Meralco said Powertech Innovation and eXperience Lab (PIXL) plays an important role in the company's efforts to support the development of the country’s energy sector. It is also seen to help in gearing up the company for the future.

The Powertech Innovation and eXperience Lab (PIXL) is Meralco’s own virtual world rendering studio and metaverse that uses real-world data to create simulations for training and education.

PIXL features 10 short-throw high-definition projectors, a 360-degree projection wall, LED lights, and extended reality devices such as Microsoft HoloLens, and Oculus VR headset. It is "a state-of-the-art facility that aims to drive the use of new technologies for the energy industry to achieve the country’s smart grid vision," the company said.

Smart grid is the integration of innovative systems to the power grid for improved generation and distribution of electricity, Meralco explained.

The most important digital strategy we have is the digitalization of the grid. Making the grid smarter entails a lot of new investments in technology. We are looking to smart substations, smart meters, advanced metering infrastructure and advanced network infrastructure, all of which taken together would make the grid much smarter and more digital, Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa said.

According to Meralco, PIXL can serve a variety of functions critical to the power distributor's mandate to deliver reliable and stable electricity. These include technology scanning, proof of concept, prototype development, extended reality previews of different vital facilities such as substations and business centers, simulations of critical incident resolutions, distant learning, knowledge transfer, and remote support, it noted.

The VR lab

Furthermore, PIXL is aligned with the company's digital transformation goals and forms part of its efforts to find new growth opportunities for its stakeholders, said Rocky D. Bacani, Meralco's First Vice President for Information, Communication, Technology and Transformation.

The facility can serve as a venue for co-innovation initiatives with the academe, regulators, other electric cooperatives, and distribution utilities in the Philippines or even other countries, Meralco said.

As a leader in the energy industry, Meralco continuously invests in new technologies that will enhance our business operations to deliver consistent excellent service, said Bacani, who is also Meralco’s Chief Information and Technology Officer.

Meralco has embraced digital transformation through its Customer Centricity Transformation Program and Digital Projects. It also started utilizing ICT Operations Platform and Telecommunications Integrated Command Center (OPTIC) in 2021 which is a new command and control center that manages all information, communication, and technology systems of the distribution utility.

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