Case Study: ESB extends Turlough Hill’s asset life with Akselos digital twin technology

Irish Electricity Company - Customer Case Study

An Irish electricity company, ESB, faced a significant challenge in assessing the structural integrity of its 47-year-old Turlough Hill pumped storage station, a critical national asset. With sparse historical data and much of the hydro station being inaccessible, ESB needed an innovative way to determine if the asset could safely operate for decades longer and partnered with vendor Akselos to find a solution.

Akselos implemented a highly detailed structural digital twin of the entire asset, creating a physics-based model that acts as a virtual replica. This solution provided the data needed to confidently extend the asset's design life by 20-50%, avoiding potential refurbishment costs of over €100 million. Akselos's technology also allows for a 30-40% reduction in inspection scope, saving an estimated €100,000-€200,000 per inspection and significantly lowering operational expenditures.