Uniper transforms business processes with AI-powered workflow automation

Uniper, a major player in the energy sector, collaborated with Celonis and Microsoft to undertake a comprehensive digital transformation of its business processes. The project aimed to achieve operational excellence, transparency, and streamlined workflows using advanced AI and automation technologies. By integrating Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, and Microsoft Fabric with the Celonis Process Intelligence platform, Uniper deployed AI-driven process orchestration across 27 mission-critical business functions. Over 350 users interact with the system, connecting to multiple enterprise data sources. The project involved end-to-end process improvements, from plant maintenance and HR to IT service management and financial reporting. Uniper realized tangible results, including increased workplace safety, shortened recruiting cycles, faster IT response, and enhanced reporting. The approach also set a blueprint for AI adoption in the broader energy industry. This collaboration demonstrates how the interplay of Celonis workflow intelligence and Microsoft AI technologies enables scalable, intelligent automation tailored for complex environments like energy production and distribution. The article details real-world outcomes, positioning Uniper as a leader in leveraging AI for large-scale operations.

Organization
Uniper
Location
Germany
Published
May 2025

Reported outcomes

Strategic outcomes

Risk & complianceReduced plant maintenance riskEmployee experienceDecreased hiring cycle delaysCost efficiencyLowered operational and reporting costsSpeed & agilityFaster IT incident response

Primary read

Use case focus

Showing 3 of 5

  • 1AI-powered workflow automation in energy operations
  • 2Automated plant maintenance and safety compliance
  • 3HR recruiting automation with AI-driven notifications
  • Need for greater operational excellence and transparency in energy business processes.
  • Desire to automate workflows across multiple departments with unified orchestration.
  • Challenges around plant maintenance safety, compliance, and operational risk reduction.
  • Recruiting delays and inefficiencies in human resources management.
  • Need for timely business reporting and improved supplier steering.
  • Integration of Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, and Microsoft Fabric with Celonis Process Intelligence for holistic AI-powered workflow orchestration.
  • Deployment of Celonis' platform to aggregate and contextualize process data across 27 business areas.
  • Implementation of end-to-end automations for HR, plant maintenance, energy sales, technology, IT service management, and finance.
  • Adoption of intelligent notifications and reporting mechanisms.
  • Collaboration between Celonis, Microsoft, and Uniper IT teams for rapid, scalable rollout.
  • Reduced plant maintenance risk and supplier waiting time.
  • Decreased manager hiring cycles and improved candidate experience through automation.
  • Lower operational costs from more timely business and hydro power reporting.
  • Faster IT incident response and improved supplier steering.
  • Automation of financial reports and optimized internal audits.
Architecture

Celonis Process Intelligence aggregates data from multiple enterprise systems and feeds it into Microsoft Copilot Studio, Power Automate, and Microsoft Fabric. This enables AI-driven agents and automated workflows for critical business processes. The architecture supports end-to-end orchestration, real-time monitoring, and reporting for 27 business areas, integrating HR, plant maintenance, finance, IT, and energy operations onto a single intelligence platform.

Implementation partners1
Sources & evidence1
Groundedness: 4/5

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