Alexander Pestunov, "SIGMA": Specialized solutions for power are not enough, and the need for digitalization of the industry is very high

Alexander Pestunov: SIGMA, really, is such supplier: we help clients to manage development and we provide reliability of functioning of infrastructure, we automate channels of partner relations and partners, settlings with consumers, repair and hardware maintenance of the network and generating complex. Such broad spectrum of the directions of our examination developed in more than 15 years of cooperation with the leading energy companies of Russia – especially with power sales. In a segment of sale SIGMA offers, perhaps, the most full range of the IT solutions allowing our customers to reach the new level of transparency, efficiency and accuracy of calculations with all categories of consumers.

Alexander Pestunov: This task was always and will have very high priority. On the one hand, the power consumption in all directions grows: from private households to industrial enterprises and infrastructure of the cities. On the other hand, society requires from consumers and producers to work consciously and eco-friendly: control consumption, not allow overproduction, reduce financial and technological hazards. Let's tell, receivables are a substantial financial risk.

And from the third party, the Russian power has a big reserve of growth of efficiency even in the existing conditions. On official assessments, relative losses of the electric power in the electric networks of Russia are 2-3 times higher, than in a number of the developed countries. This indicator is influenced by not only thefts and technical losses, but also imperfection of procedures of power accounting and also historically developed problems of interaction between sale and the network companies.

In general, the sales companies are faced by a problem of increase in profitability. And they can solve it by different methods (in addition to increase in rates): for example, to reduce the volume of non-payments and to offer subscribers additional services. At the heart of such undertakings – the idea that it is convenient to consumer to receive a maximum of services in one place, and not just in one window, and, for example, in one mobile application. It is obvious that the events in a segment of power sale create a favorable environment for digitalization and opens new opportunities for development of the Russian technologies.

Alexander Pestunov: One of key tasks for all power is reduction of losses of energy at all stages: from production before delivery to the consumer. In its solution we see big perspectives for growth of application of IoT, Big Data, RPA and other disruptive technologies.

Alexander Pestunov: "Hottest" and at the same time "eternal" is the issue of reduction of receivables. It is solved at all stages of development of the industry. Different and more and more perfect means are just used. But important also to bring up the consumer.

In general, our solutions allow to make all process of management of sale of the electric power digital: eliminate information gaps and accelerate data acquisition at all levels: from collecting of indicators from counters before acceptance of strategic management decisions. And organically to build in these processes the general industry process: generation of the electric power, its transportation and sale.

Alexander Pestunov: First of all, I will select a complex of solutions for automation of activity of power supply companies. With our help power sale can control all process: from purchases before collecting of payments, control of calculations and the analysis of profitability on all categories of consumers. In this area at SIGMY, perhaps, the most complete portfolio in the Russian IT market. Here solutions for billing, sales management, analytics on work with consumers of different categories (legal persons and natural persons), the organizations of interaction of consumers with the sales company (personal accounts, mobile applications, CRM) enter.

I will especially note the solution on management of basic data (Sigma.MDM) which allows the companies to increase quality of consumer information with which they work. It helps to overcome "historically developed" growth restrictions: a large number of separate data sources (for example, the local reference books which are not connected among themselves), use of systems on different software platforms, low quality of basic data (incompleteness, irrelevance, errors). Sigma.MDM gives the chance to consolidate given and to keep uniform account on the basis of the exact, checked and on-line accessible information, and it allows to increase efficiency of activity of all organization. Now sigma.MDM is registered by the Register of the Russian software.

In the second group we select instruments of automation of production processes. Solutions of this group allow customers to optimize processes of maintenance and repairs of the equipment, monitoring and control of service divisions. I will give our development as an example – the solution "SIGMA: Alkor" for mobile monitoring of the equipment. Based on "SIGMA: Alkor" it is possible to solve all range of the problems connected with maintenance of the equipment, operational fault recovery, efficiency of loading of personnel, vehicle fleet and other equipment. All transactions happen online, using mobile devices and the EDS – it saves time and allows to react to incidents much more quickly. And in a case with power supply it is crucial. The solutions for TORO and management of production assets (SUPA) implemented on the 1C Platform belong to the same group.

In the third group it is possible to select cross-industry solutions for such areas as accounting, electronic document management, the investment management, personnel and salary. These business processes are similar for many industries though the specifics of the power industry in them, certainly, are considered.

I will emphasize that our solutions are the completely Russian developments created on the basis of long-term cooperation with leaders of the Russian power. They consider relevant IT trends and the best experience of digital transformation of power industry of Russia and other countries. Emergence of such IT products is very important: specialized solutions for power in the market are not enough, and the need for digitalization of the industry is very high. Therefore we conduct development of new solutions which also we prepare for registration in the Register.

Alexander Pestunov: CYBERSECURITY Serious requirements from the legislation were always imposed to the sphere of providing. "Driver" of cybersecurity of the last several years is protection critical information infrastructure (CUES) according to the Federal law 187-FZ adopted in 2017. The fuel and energy industry it is expected was it is included in the list of the industries, the most critical for states.

From the moment of acceptance 187-FZ some of our customers already passed a difficult way of identification of critical business processes, categorization of objects of KII, design of security systems and passed to implementation. But many companies are only in the beginning of this way now. Implementation of requirements of the legislation, accomplishment of corporate standards of security is a difficult task for the regional companies of holding structures in connection with deficit of qualified specialists and a lack of financing of cybersecurity. This problem is partially solved due to outsourcing, partially due to creation of competence centers (including, creation of SOC), the centralized corporate services, unification and centralization of IT and cybersecurity solutions. Today insufficiently formally to fulfill the requirements of the legislation. It is necessary to provide real, and not just "paper" information security.

There is an active digitalization, penetration of information technologies into business processes of energy industry companies. Now one of the IB perspective directions – security in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) and the cyberphysical systems, it is connected with distribution of intelligent systems of electricity metering. "Smart" metering devices will allow to implement automatic data exchange, to reduce the number of disagreements when accounting, to increase the speed of response to failures and accidents, to minimize losses of the sales and network companies. As a result it will increase reliability and quality of the consumer service delivery.

Alexander Pestunov: Unfortunately, yet not all companies created system approach within which risks in the field of cybersecurity are considered on an equal basis with others, and built mature processes in this sphere. One of positive examples – PJSC Inter RAO. In all new projects on creation or upgrade of corporate information systems risks assessment of cybersecurity is an obligatory part of works. And this year we see increase in demand for services in cybersecurity risks assessment from the large companies.

Respectively, also the need for the specialized technical solutions allowing to automate risk management of cybersecurity, to provide its continuity and integration into all business processes of the company grows.

Alexander Pestunov: In 15 years of work we accurately defined the specialization: SIGMA is engaged in business process optimization of the enterprises of the Russian power industry which purpose – to increase efficiency and profitability of our customers using technology tools. Today customers have an opportunity to select, and not only between the Russian and foreign solutions, but also between developments of different Russian suppliers and also between external suppliers and own developments. Very much pleases us that leaders of the Russian power select technologies and solutions of SIGMA LLC.