Challenge
Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) is vital for maintaining a stable electricity transmission network. To enhance efficiency, IPTO aimed to modernize its IT applications, moving away from outdated systems. A crucial missing element is the Asset and Workforce Management system, essential for effective:
- Enterprise Asset Management - to capture asset data and monitor execution of work, as well as
- Maintenance Repair Operations Inventory Optimization - to improve uptime and cost with better inventory control.
Modernization will address key challenges in operations, finance, and compliance, such as increasing asset utilization, reducing costs, and ensuring regulatory adherence. IPTO's objectives include boosting grid stability, improving performance, and extending asset life. The integration of new financial systems, based on SAP S4HANA, will further enhance the Asset and Workforce Management system, encompassing finance, procurement, budgeting, and planning functionalities. The new financial systems include subsystems for handling:
- Finance & Accounting, and Procurement & Supply Chain System (New ERP) and
- Budgeting and Planning System
Approach
Under the Executive Agreement, PLANET S.A. provided specialized consulting services to support IPTO's digital transformation. The engagement focused on two key service groups: (1) Project Management & Quality Assurance and (2) Change Management & Digital Governance. Through these services, PLANET played a pivotal role in driving the implementation of an integrated Business Information System (ERP/EAM/WFM), ensuring project success and seamless execution. The required services per Working Group provided by PLANET S.A. were the following:
A seamless digital transformation: Integrating SAP EAM and SAP S/4HANA, IPTO enhanced efficiency, compliance, and asset management for a future-ready energy sector
Working Group 1: Project Management & Quality Assurance
PLANET provided vital Project Management Support (PMO) to keep IPTO's project on track, ensuring smooth implementation through effective scheduling and proactive issue identification. The focus on Main Project Implementation Control guaranteed high-quality deliverables by refining outputs, maintaining compliance, and offering technical support for audits. Creative conflict resolution further enhanced the project's outcome.
Working Group 2: Change Management & Digital Governance
PLANET S.A. designed an enhanced system architecture by integrating SAP S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, and ECM with IPTO’s existing systems, prioritizing information architecture and security for seamless and robust integration. To maximize data utilization, they established an IT 'Data Exploitation' Team, equipping members with training in data extraction and reporting techniques to strengthen analytical capabilities.
Additionally, PLANET provided hands-on support to IPTO teams, ensuring effective system adoption by assisting with data entry and managing support requests electronically for swift issue resolution. Through Change Management, a structured process was introduced to review operational roles and streamline business processes, aligning them with the system’s full capabilities
Results & Impact
The integration of the new asset management system into IPTO's ERP delivered substantial benefits, including:
- Optimized IT operations with improved service quality and output.
- Enhanced sustainability, efficiency, and effectiveness, alongside strengthened cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and readiness for digital transformation and scalability.
- Better financial performance and smarter asset investment decisions.
- Extended asset lifespan, reinforcing social responsibility and corporate reputation.
- Increased enterprise-wide visibility, benefiting key roles across IPTO:
- Executives: Gained comprehensive control for data-driven decision-making.
- Purchasing Managers: Accessed enterprise-wide cost insights for better comparisons.
- Contract Managers: Monitored contracts and supplier performance effectively.
- Financial Managers: Analyzed inventory and asset returns for optimized spending.
- Compliance Managers: Ensured regulatory adherence across all assets.
- Operations Managers: Improved asset utilization and operational performance.
- IT Managers: Streamlined inventory and IT resource management.
- Reliability Engineers: Assessed asset health to refine repair strategies.
- Planners & Schedulers: Optimized workforce availability with visual tools.
- Maintenance Managers: Enhanced asset capacity through informed job planning.
- Field Technicians: Captured real-time asset data for proactive maintenance.
With the seamless integration of SAP EAM and SAP S/4HANA, IPTO has strengthened Greece’s energy sector with a secure, scalable, and future-ready digital infrastructure.
