Meet the Reps: RELARTE Consulting

Since receiving his Masters of Science from the University of Ljubljana’s Faculty for Electrical Engineering in 1977, Janez Zakonjsek — the owner and Director of RELARTE — has been active in the fields of relay protection and substation automation.

Zakonjsek’s industry experience began with ISKRA — a Slovenian company for electromechanics, telecommunications, electronics, and automation — before he transitioned to Sweden’s ABB Relays as Senior Application Specialist. After 15 years with ABB, Zakonjsek then joined ABS Holdings in Russia, where he was responsible for business and technology development.

Throughout his career, Zakonjsek gained experience with several positions in the protection, automation, and control industry. This provided him with a good background with real-time simulators. He began working with an electromechanical power system model in 1978 before his first experience with a real-time digital simulator: RTDS Technologies’ very own RTDS Simulator, located at the Korean Electric Power Corporation’s research institute (KEPRI). Here, Zakonjsek participated as a specialist from ABB Relays, running certification tests for distance protection applications at KEPCO.

Zakonjsek has been an active member of CIGRE throughout his career. He started as a member with the former Yugoslav National CIGRE Committee in 1977, where he was elected as Chairman of Yugoslav CIGRE SC 34 (protection, today SC.B5) between 1989 and 1992.

Zakonjsek also held memberships with CIGRE’s Application Guide on Protection of Complex Network Configurations; the Protection, Control and Monitoring of Series Compensated Networks; and Protection Requirements on Transient Response of Voltage and Current Digital Acquisition Chain.

In 2012, Zakonjsek received a CIGRE Technical Committee Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the work of Study Committee B5 – Protection and Automation. And the following year, the Slovenian National Committee of CIGRE awarded him a plaque for his contribution within the field of relay protection and for his work within the international CIGRE organization.

Zakonjsek is also involved with EnLAB: The exclusive representative of the RTDS Simulator in Russia. Proudly, Zakonjsek introduced the RTDS Simulator to Russia in 2009, organizing the country’s first installation. 

Today, through RELARTE Ltd., Zakonjsek promotes the capabilities and possibilities of the RTDS Simulator across Ukraine and the Balkans. 

You can discover Zakonjsek’s recent work featuring real-time simulation by checking out:

• His collaborative work with the University of Ljubljana and Relematika, LCC: “Real-Time Simulation and HIL Testing: Validating Technologies for a Smarter, More Sustainable Grid,” presented at ISGT Europe 2020
• His upcoming collaborative presentation with RTDS Technologies during the CIGRE 2021 Symposium in Ljubljana (November 21 – 24, 2021)
• His upcoming collaborative presentation with RTDS Technologies during the South East European Regional CIGRE (November 29 – December 2, 2021)