Q&A Paper: Benefits and Challenges of Virtualization in Power Substations

Antonis leading business development, marketing strategies and product developmentfor the substation automation portfolio at Welotec.

With extensive experience in international business development, computing
technologies, and a strong focus on digital substations, Anton drives
innovation and actively shapes the future of substation automation,
contributing to the IEC, CIGRE, vPAC Alliance and the Open Source communities.

Prithpal Khajuria is the Director for the Energy Sector within Intel's Federal & Industrial Solutions Division. He leads collaborations with partners—including equipment manufacturers, automation and software vendors, and utilities—to deploy intelligent edge solutions that enhance operational excellence through software-defined infrastructure. With over 20 years of experience delivering advanced solutions to the global energy and industrial sectors, he joined Intel in May 2015 after consulting worldwide on grid modernization. Prior to that, he held leadership roles in Smart Grid Product Management at SK Telecom, Onramp Wireless, and Silver Spring Networks. Prithpal holds an MBA in Global Business Management and a BS in Computer Science and Engineering.

Since 2020, Bastien DESBOS has been working for RTE, specializing in the specification and qualification of local protection, automation, and control systems for extra-high voltage substations. His initial focus was on conventional numerical
systems, and he is now exploring and implementing cutting-edge digital solutions, including virtualization.

From 2013 to 2020, he worked in the nuclear sector as an Automation and Control System Qualification Engineer, gaining six years of experience in qualifying automation and control systems with a strong emphasis on reliability and safety.

He holds a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from INSA Lyon, earned in 2013.

Ing. Sander has more than 10 years’ experience in the DSO sector on the edge of business/IT/OT and has knowledge about applying IEC 61850 and IEC CIM. Sander is now product owner of the virtual substations team for medium and high voltage stations within the system operations department. Sander is working at the Dutch DSO Alliander. He is partly responsible to for innovation in the 61850 and substation domain to facilitate the energy transition. Sander is a strong advocate of the open source concept and is applying it in the LF energy ecosystem and beyond.