Slovenské Elektrárne modernizes energy operations with Azure AI

Slovenské Elektrárne, Slovakia’s largest electricity producer, plays a critical role in delivering reliable, low-carbon energy across Central Europe. As its operations expanded across nuclear, hydro, and renewable plants, managing information became increasingly complex.

Critical knowledge was scattered across systems and documents. Employees often struggled to uncover the information they needed, slowing decision making and increasing operational risk. “It took significant time to find items, leaving no time for actual analysis,” recalls Peter Kertys, Head of Data Science at Slovenské Elektrárne.

At the same time, the organization’s IT environment was under strain. Aging infrastructure and accumulated technical debt were slowing delivery and limiting innovation. 

For Gabriel Farkaš, Information Technology Manager, the challenge went beyond technology upgrades to leadership itself. “Transformation is not optional; managing risk while transforming is the real leadership task.”

“The most pressing concern was technological debt, which was significantly slowing down IT service delivery,” he adds.

Slovenské Elektrárne needed more than incremental improvement. It needed a new way to connect data, scale expertise, and enable faster, more confident decision making. 

A decisive shift to cloud and AI

The turning point came as Slovenské Elektrárne began building a new data and analytics environment. With no modern platform in place, the company chose to design its foundation as cloud native.

This created the conditions for a broader transformation. Data could be consolidated, infrastructure scaled on demand, and advanced AI capabilities introduced without the constraints of on-premises systems. Microsoft Foundry (formerly Azure AI Foundry) provided a foundation for developing and scaling AI applications and agents, while tools like GitHub Copilot helped accelerate development.

“From this perspective, AI and cloud transformation is a no-brainer,” Farkaš says. “Every modern organization must evolve.”

The challenge was to unlock these benefits while maintaining strict control over security, compliance, and operational risk. 

A secure, hybrid architecture by design

Working with Microsoft, Slovenské Elektrárne implemented a modern digital workspace with AI capabilities developed using Microsoft Foundry. The solution connects on-premises systems with the cloud in a hybrid model that provides both flexibility and control. Importantly, cloud and AI services operate outside core plant systems and are not connected to nuclear plant operations.

Security was central to every decision and is reinforced through strict governance, role-based access controls, and human validation throughout. “We always put it first—for every solution, we design the architecture to be as secure as possible,” says Maroš Bubán, Solution Architect at Slovenské Elektrárne. This model balances strict regulatory requirements with cloud flexibility, while removing long-standing technical barriers.

“Scaling and modernizing the on-premises infrastructure had become difficult, slow, and expensive,” Bubán recalls—especially in fast-evolving areas like AI.

Turning fragmented data into accessible knowledge

With the new foundation in place, Slovenské Elektrárne focused on its most persistent challenge: making information accessible and usable.

AI-powered agents and a company-wide chatbot—all developed using Microsoft Foundry—introduced a new way of interacting with data. Instead of navigating multiple systems, employees can ask questions in natural language and receive relevant, contextual answers drawn from documentation, enterprise systems, and historical data.

“The value of AI was clear on first release,” Kertys recalls. Employees could find answers quickly, come better prepared to meetings, and in some cases avoid them altogether by resolving questions independently.

For Daniela Chovanová, Configuration and Change System Manager at Slovenské Elektrárne, the shift was even more fundamental. “The workflow has shifted from reactive data searching to proactive analysis,” she explains. Previously, understanding relationships between components and project changes required manual effort. Now, that information is connected, structured, and instantly accessible.

One moment captured the transformation. “The first concrete benefit was realized when I queried a specific component and the system returned a complete, structured history of all project changes affecting it,” Chovanová says. What once required hours of manual reconciliation can now be delivered instantly.

Measurable impact across the business

As adoption scaled, the impact was both immediate and measurable. AI-driven automation reduced manual effort across document-heavy processes, saving around 1,800 workdays in 2025 across technical and regulatory documentation alone, with a further 340 days saved in quality-plan processing. AI-powered summarization now saves more than 90 workdays annually.

The benefits extended into capability building. More than 4,000 domain-specific test questions were generated from operational manuals across 12 hydro power plants, helping standardize knowledge and accelerate learning.

At the same time, Slovenské Elektrárne is unlocking previously unusable data. Using Azure Vision, the organization transformed 29 terabytes of scan data into a structured digital map of 327 assets, improving operational decision making.

AI assistants have also reshaped daily work. More than 1,200 employees each month now use the internal chatbot, supported by 10 specialized agents connecting ERP systems, IT tools, and company documentation.

As Farkaš reflects, “AI became a key enabler to speed up work, remove waste, and automate low-value activities, allowing teams to focus on what truly matters.”

A more confident, data-driven workforce

Beyond efficiency, the transformation reshaped how employees work. Access to knowledge became faster and more reliable, reducing friction and improving confidence in decision making.

“The most meaningful outcome is how much easier and faster it has become to get the right information,” says Farkaš. This has enabled a more responsive way of working, where employees can act with greater clarity and speed.

For Chovanová, improved data quality and traceability have been key. The combination of AI-driven extraction and human validation ensures that information is both accessible and trustworthy—an essential requirement in a safety-critical environment.

The result is a workforce that is not only more productive, but more empowered. Knowledge is no longer locked in systems or individuals; it is shared, scalable, and embedded into everyday workflows.

Scaling innovation for the future

Slovenské Elektrárne is now extending these capabilities across the organization, moving toward a comprehensive, AI-powered knowledge system. 

This includes exploring Azure-powered applications, such as digital twins, alongside advanced analytics to improve planning, reduce downtime, and enhance system resilience.

At the same time, the pace of technological change continues to shape the journey. As Bubán observes, “The biggest surprise for us is still how fast AI models are improving.”

With a strong Microsoft Cloud and AI foundation in place, Slovenské Elektrárne is building a platform for continuous innovation—one that will support both operational excellence and the broader energy transition.

Discover more about Slovenské Elektrárne.