ČEPS summer school offers a close-up look at the world of high voltage and a gateway to a career in Czechia

For the 12th time, ČEPS Summer School gave students practical insight into how the Czech transmission system works. The week-long event, held from 21 to 25 August 2023, gave them the chance to learn a great deal not only about ČEPS, but also about the entire transmission system, the energy market and the latest technologies. The programme included seminars, workshops, lectures and discussions with leading experts in the field. During the week, students visited the control room, where they tried their hand at a dispatcher’s job using a special simulator. A popular feature of the annual programme is a tour of one of ČEPS’s largest substations, at Hradec near Kadaň, which is home to the only four phase-shifting transformers in the Czech Republic.

Students were generally enthusiastic about their experiences and what they had learned; some even said they were considering the company as a potential future employer. They also appreciated the opportunity to develop ideas for their bachelor’s or master’s theses and explore possibilities for future cooperation during informal evenings and meetings with ČEPS employees and experts. The organisers also arranged an afternoon combining relaxation and adrenaline. In previous years, students have gone rafting or taken rides on off-road scooters; this year, they took part in an adventure escape game inspired by the TV show Fort Boyard. They had to use their ingenuity, quick thinking and teamwork to complete a series of challenges and score as many points as possible.