Where the map meets the model

As one of the largest electricity companies in the Southern Hemisphere, AXIA Energia operates 44.4 GW of generation capacity, 74,000 kilometers of transmission lines, and approximately 300 substations across Brazil.

But like many utility organizations, it faced a fundamental challenge: the lack of a reliable, unified view of its infrastructure. Engineering data was fragmented across siloed systems. GIS information existed but remained largely separate from engineering workflows. Field execution relied heavily on paper documentation.

With transmission substations becoming more complex and regulatory requirements getting stricter, traditional workflows based on two-dimensional documentation no longer worked. In brownfield substations — where decades of modifications often go undocumented — this fragmentation created geometric uncertainty, coordination clashes between disciplines, and increased risk during modernization projects.

To address this, AXIA launched ELETROBIM — a strategic initiative to digitize its substation portfolio, develop as-is digital models at scale and establish a new foundation for engineering and operations. At its core, the program integrates geospatial data, engineering models, and enterprise systems into a unified environment, enabling AXIA to move from fragmented data to GeoBIM intelligence.

What made Axia's approach distinctive was where they chose to start. Rather than beginning with engineering models, AXIA anchored its approach in geospatial accuracy. From day one, geospatial and engineering teams worked together to ensure that every asset would be captured, modeled, and managed within a common, georeferenced framework.

AXIA's approach starts on the ground, with reality capture. Field teams deploy laser scanning, aerial photogrammetry, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positioning to record each substation in high detail — every transformer, busbar, cable run, and structural element.

Substations are demanding environments to capture: equipment is dense, tags and technical markings must be readable, and the resulting data needs to be precise enough to support downstream engineering decisions. AXIA developed its own technical capture protocol to ensure consistency across teams and contractors.

To date, more than 5,700,000 m² of infrastructure has been captured across the program.

The captured data becomes the foundation for parametric modeling. At the same time, AXIA built a library of electrical components including transformers, switchgear, and protection systems, enabling standardized, data-rich modeling of substations.

The result is a highly detailed, georeferenced digital representation of each substation — one that accurately reflects real-world conditions and can be trusted as the basis for engineering work. At this stage, the focus is on fidelity and completeness: ensuring that every asset is modeled correctly before any design or modification begins.

AXIA’s objective goes beyond creating accurate models.

Every modeled asset carries embedded parameters — identifiers, operational attributes, fabrication data — but it is the consistent organization of this information that transforms it into something more powerful.

AXIA consolidates this data into federated GeoBIM models and digital asset databooks: structured, standardized records that bring together engineering, geospatial, regulatory and operational information into a single, reliable source.

The databook serves as the handover package between engineering and operations, a continuity that is rare in the electrical sector. For operations and maintenance teams, this means inheriting a verified reference rather than piecing together information from multiple disconnected systems. For contractors brought in for future upgrade work, it means starting from an accurate model of existing conditions rather than a site visit.

With all disciplines working from the same georeferenced models and structured data, coordination improves significantly. Civil, electromechanical, equipment, protection and control, and telecommunications teams can identify issues earlier, reducing clashes and minimizing rework.

The value of structured asset data extends beyond engineering workflows.

AXIA has established a direct connection between its modeling environment and enterprise systems, enabling asset data to flow automatically into engineering and operational platforms. This integration plays a critical role in regulatory compliance.

In Brazil, substation data must be submitted to the national electricity regulator within strict timelines. Delays or inaccuracies can result in financial penalties — in some cases, 10% of project value in the first year and up to 20% each following year.

With a structured data foundation in place, AXIA is now extending its capabilities into digital twin applications.

At Tijuco Preto, one of the largest substations in Latin America, the company has implemented a pilot that connects real-time sensor data to its digital models.

Engineers and operations teams can navigate the digital twin of the substation and view live equipment readings in spatial context — not as isolated values, but as attributes of specific physical assets.

The use case is as practical as it is impressive. Current transformers are high-risk components in a high-voltage substation: partial discharge can escalate quickly, leading to fires and forced outages. With live Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data flowing into the model, AXIA can detect early warning signals before they become failures — shifting maintenance from reactive to predictive.

AXIA’s ambition extends far beyond individual projects. Through ELETROBIM, the company has digitized over 40 substations and has a roadmap extending to 300-plus by 2029.

By integrating geospatial data, engineering models, and enterprise systems, AXIA has created a unified digital environment that reduces uncertainty, improves coordination, and strengthens operational readiness. The new philosophy is to design all new projects digitally from the very beginning.

The results speak for themselves: Project delivery accelerated by up to 3 months, zero project delays, complete accuracy in project models and asset data.

What’s more, by using GeoBIM models, AXIA has significantly improved employee and asset safety.

ElectroBIM will continue to grow as part of AXIA’s effort to build their Center of Digital Engineering. The program will keep expanding to other project types—transmission lines, hydroelectric powerplants and wind farms. But more than its scale, what AXIA has demonstrated is a different way of thinking about infrastructure data — not as a record of what was built, but as a live foundation for everything that comes next.