Transformer Data Is Critical for Grid Reliability | Lee Doyle, Vaisala

You can't get a new transformer. So what happens to the one you have? At the 2026 IEEE PES T&D Show, Alan Ross of APC Media sat down with Lee Doyle, Senior Sales Manager North America for Vaisala, to unpack one of the most pressing challenges facing utilities today: with transformer demand "off the charts" and new units nearly impossible to source, the pressure to monitor and protect existing assets has never been higher. Lee explains how Vaisala's precision instrumentation — built on their own in-house chips and sensors — gives asset managers the real-time dissolved gas analysis (DGA), moisture-in-oil readings, and condition data they need to extend transformer life, prevent failures, and keep the grid reliable. 🔑 What You'll Learn: Why the transformer supply crunch is forcing utilities to maximize the life of existing assets How real-time monitoring detects early failure indicators before catastrophic outages occur Why Vaisala builds its own chips and sensors — and what that means for measurement accuracy How self-calibrating devices eliminate maintenance downtime entirely Why open communication protocols (Modbus, DNP3) make Vaisala systems integrate with any platform What 12–13% R&D reinvestment looks like in a hardware-first company ⏱️ Key Moments: 00:00 🗣️ Alan Ross at the 2026 IEEE PES T&D Show — Introduction 00:30 🤝 Meet Lee Doyle, Senior Sales Manager North America, Vaisala 00:58 📈 Transformer demand is "off the charts" — an industry unlike any other 01:45 💡 Why the supply crunch makes monitoring mission-critical for asset life extension 03:43 📊 The problem with data without analysis 04:06 🛠️ Vaisala's approach: premium hardware + Delta X Research for deeper analytics 04:46 ⚙️ The "unfair competitive advantage" — in-house chip and sensor manufacturing 06:29 💰 12–13% of net sales reinvested into R&D and product development 08:17 🌐 Open architecture and agnostic protocols (Modbus, DNP3) for seamless integration 10:46 🔧 Self-calibrating devices — no downtime, no external lab calibration required 👤 About Lee Doyle: Lee Doyle is Senior Sales Manager for North America at Vaisala, with deep expertise in transformer condition monitoring solutions for the power and utility industry. A returning presence at IEEE PES events, Lee is known for making complex instrumentation understandable for both engineers and asset managers. 🏢 About Vaisala: Vaisala is a global leader in environmental and industrial measurement. Their transformer monitoring solutions — including dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and moisture-in-oil monitoring — are trusted by utilities worldwide. By designing and manufacturing their own chips and sensors, Vaisala delivers measurement precision and uptime reliability that off-the-shelf components simply can't match. 🌐 Learn more: https://vaisala.com/power 🔗 Follow us on LinkedIn for exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes moments: 👉 Power Systems Technology Page:   / power-systems-technology   👉 Transformer Technology Page:   / transformer-technology   👉 Women in Power Systems:   / women-power-systems   🌐 Visit our website to dive deeper into our offerings and discover valuable resources: https://powersystems.technology/ 📧Subscribe to our newsletter for exclusive content and stay in the loop with exciting developments: https://powersystems.technology/subsc... #Vaisala #TransformerMonitoring #PowerTransformer #DGA #MoistureInOil #GridReliability #IEEEPES #PowerSystems #EnergyInfrastructure #TransformerTechnology #ConditionMonitoring #PowerTransmission #UtilityIndustry #TransformerSupplyChain #GridModernization