by Mark O’Connor, Chief Commercial Officer, EMR
Five months into my journey with EMR Integrated Solutions, and one thing is certain: I’ve learnt more about water networks, SCADA systems, critical communications, renewable energy and railway infrastructure than I ever expected to!
Having worked alongside EMR as a partner for several years, I thought I knew the business pretty well. But there’s a big difference between knowing a company from the outside and getting under the bonnet to see what really makes it tick.
And what has impressed me most isn’t just the technology or the projects we’re delivering. It’s the people, their engineering expertise and their ability to solve real problems for customers.
That’s something I’ve always believed separates good companies from great ones.
“It’s the people, their engineering expertise and their ability to solve real problems for customers. That’s what sets EMR apart.”
Engineering Problems, Not Just Selling Technology
One of the things that has really stood out is the sheer variety of challenges our teams tackle every day.
Take our work with Uisce Éireann, where we help monitor and manage critical water infrastructure across Ireland. Before joining EMR, I probably didn’t give much thought to what happens behind the scenes when you turn on a tap. I certainly do now!
Then there’s our growing presence in the UK water industry, where I’ve had a crash course in Section 82 of the Environment Act.
For anyone unfamiliar with it (as I was a few months ago), Section 82 introduces requirements for water companies in England to continuously monitor water quality upstream and downstream of certain storm overflows and wastewater treatment works.
It involves monitoring parameters such as dissolved oxygen, ammonia, pH, temperature and turbidity, helping operators better understand the impact of discharges on rivers and waterways.
It’s a significant undertaking for the UK water industry, and EMR is helping customers deliver the monitoring systems, communications and engineering infrastructure required.
It’s fascinating work, particularly when you see how the technology we’re deploying can contribute to improving the environment and protecting our waterways.
AquaVision Intelligence is a platform developed by EMR to provide water utilities with a fully integrated Continuous Water Quality Monitoring capability, designed to go beyond compliance obligations imposed under S.82 of the Environment Act, 2021.
Keeping Renewable Energy Connected and Secure
Another area I’ve really enjoyed learning about is UniCAS, our secure communications solution developed for the renewable energy sector.
With hundreds of solar farms across our portfolio, EMR has developed a strong understanding of the challenges facing renewable energy operators.
In simple terms, UniCAS provides secure, managed connectivity for renewable energy assets, allowing operators to remotely access and monitor critical systems such as SCADA, CCTV and other operational technology.
Whether it’s a solar farm in the middle of the countryside or a portfolio of renewable energy assets spread across multiple locations, reliable and secure communications are essential to keeping everything operating efficiently.
I’ve also been getting up to speed on NIS2, the EU’s updated cybersecurity directive, which is raising expectations around how organisations operating critical infrastructure, including energy companies, manage cybersecurity risks.
For renewable energy operators, particularly those managing large portfolios of solar and wind farms, cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly important operational consideration.
And this is where UniCAS has a real role to play.
By providing secure connectivity, controlled remote access and better management of communications across renewable energy sites, UniCAS can help operators strengthen their cybersecurity and support their wider NIS2 compliance requirements.
Of course, NIS2 is about much more than technology alone. Governance, risk management, incident response and operational processes are equally important.
But it’s a great example of how EMR combines engineering expertise, critical communications and cybersecurity to help customers solve genuine operational challenges.
And our work certainly doesn’t stop at renewables.
We’ve got some brilliant projects happening with Irish Rail, supporting the communications infrastructure that underpins its national rail network, and with Northern Powergrid, where our solutions support the monitoring and management of critical electricity infrastructure.
We’ve also recently renewed our relationship with the Northern Lighthouse Board, continuing to support the communications and monitoring technology behind the infrastructure that helps keep mariners safe.
The depth of engineering expertise across EMR is remarkable. One minute we’re discussing cybersecurity at a solar farm, the next it’s railway communications, electricity networks or maritime navigation.
There’s certainly no shortage of variety!
“The depth of engineering expertise across EMR is remarkable. One minute we’re discussing cybersecurity at a solar farm, the next it’s railway communications, electricity networks or maritime navigation.”
TUAN – AI Built to Solve Real Problems
One of the most exciting developments during my first five months has been the work we’re doing with TUAN, our agentic AI platform for critical infrastructure.
And something I feel very strongly about is that we didn’t set out to become an AI company. We set out to solve engineering problems using AI.
That distinction matters.
We’ve spent decades helping customers monitor and manage critical infrastructure. We understand their assets, SCADA systems, communications networks and, most importantly, the operational challenges they face.
TUAN is about taking that engineering knowledge and combining it with AI to help customers make better decisions.
We’re currently developing capabilities across three particularly exciting areas.
“We didn’t set out to become an AI company. We set out to solve engineering problems using AI.”
Flood Prediction and Early Warning
Using historical and real-time information from rainfall gauges, water-level sensors, tidal data and other sources, TUAN can analyse patterns and help predict potential flooding before it happens.
The goal is simple: give local authorities and infrastructure operators more time to prepare, respond and protect communities.
We also have some exciting news coming shortly about an AI pilot we’re undertaking with a county council in Ireland, focused on flood management and early warning.
It’s a project I’m particularly excited about because it brings together years of operational knowledge, engineering expertise and AI to tackle a challenge that can have a devastating impact on communities.
More on that soon!
SCADA Alarm Management
Anyone who has worked with large SCADA environments knows how overwhelming alarms can become, particularly when multiple issues happen at the same time.
We’re developing TUAN to analyse alarms, identify patterns, recognise related events and help operators distinguish between genuine problems and background noise.
Rather than simply telling an engineer that something has gone wrong, we want to help them understand what’s happening, why it might be happening and what action should be considered.
The opportunity to reduce alarm overload, improve response times and make life easier for operational teams is significant.
Predictive and Preventative Maintenance
Another area we’re developing TUAN for is identifying potential equipment failures before they happen.
Whether that’s an inverter on a solar farm, a pump in a water network or equipment on an electricity grid, the opportunity to use operational data to spot early warning signs is significant.
The aim is to move customers from reacting to failures towards preventing them, reducing downtime, improving asset performance and making better use of maintenance resources.
For me, this is where AI becomes genuinely valuable.
Not another dashboard or chatbot looking for a problem to solve, but technology that helps engineers and operators do their jobs better.
The People Make the Difference
If there’s one thing I’ve taken away from my first five months, it’s the quality of the people across EMR.
We’ve got engineers, technical specialists, project managers and commercial teams who genuinely understand their customers’ challenges and take real pride in delivering solutions that work.
What I particularly like is the willingness to get stuck in, challenge assumptions and find answers.
Not every problem comes with a ready-made product or an obvious solution. Sometimes it takes creativity, a lot of engineering knowledge and a few very interesting conversations to get there.
But that’s what EMR does well.
We’re not interested in technology for technology’s sake. We want to deliver solutions that work, create measurable value and give customers a genuine return on their investment.
And one of the things I’ve enjoyed most is seeing how much knowledge exists across the business. You can start a conversation about a communications challenge and somehow end up learning about railway networks, water treatment or how a lighthouse communicates with the mainland!
Five Months In…
Latest News
EMR to launch ‘Tuan’, its AI platform for critical infrastructure at the International AI SummitSeptember 30, 2026 - 11:22 am
EMR heads to Dublin for Renewable Energy Expo IrelandSeptember 22, 2026 - 4:13 pm
UniCAS earns EMR a place on the Renewable Energy Awards 2026 shortlistSeptember 15, 2026 - 4:59 pm
