In late October 2023, we commissioned the new Dam Monitoring and Dispatch Centre (DMDC) in Tirana,
for the Albanian power corporation KESH. As the main contractor, we were responsible for delivering hardware, software, and office equipment, system parameterization at the Centre and power plants, testing, dispatch centre refurbishment, and end-user training. The project was funded by the German KfW Bank.

The new DMDC is our first Generation Centre (GC) delivered beyond Croatia, and its implementation was completed in record time of just over one year. 

From the DMDC, KESH will monitor the operation and manage the generation of three HPPs on the Drin River Cascade – Fierza HPP, Komani HPP, and Vau and Dejes HPP. The three power plants have a total installed power capacity of 1,350 MW and account for roughly 90% of the total electricity generated in Albania. The new control centre is built at the Energy of Albania headquarters in Tirana, with the backup centre installed at Vau and Dejes HPP.

The central application installed at the centre is our proprietary SCADA system PROZA NET. The system collects data from the HPPs and external systems, processes them, and provides graphical visualization, assisting the operators in monitoring and management of the facilities. PROZA NET has been upgraded for the needs of this project with several new customer-specific functionalities and IEC 60870-5-104 Secure communication protocol, a standard requirement in critical infrastructure cybersecurity. The encrypted version of the standard IEC 104 protocol is widely used in data monitoring and management, and the secure version enhances the cybersecurity level of the entire system with standard security features in compliance with the IEC 62443 standard implemented within our proprietary SCADA system PROZA NET. Secure communication protocol is used to exchange data between the DMDC and HPPs and between the DMDC and the National Dispatch Centre of the OST, the Albanian Transmission System Operator, for secondary regulation purposes. We also developed software support for communication integration. 

The SCADA system features automated implementation of the generation schedule, with the aim of precisely and timely controlling the generation of a larger number of units in shorter intervals, replacing demanding manual control. Automated generation plans can be sent from the DMDC to 13 generators in 15-minute intervals. Generation data are imported into SCADA from an external HPP planning system.

Compared to similar generation centres in Croatia, the DMDC is designed to monitor dams on the HPP reservoirs, which necessitated the introduction of functionalities for seismic activity monitoring and measurement into the SCADA system, encompassing monitoring of dams and underground conditions surrounding the HPPs.

We replaced the necessary signalling devices and added a new level of DMDC control within local SCADA systems at the HPPs. New communication routers that support a secure connection with the Centre have been installed at the HPPs.

Throughout all stages of project implementation, KfW Bank imposed rigorous audits, particularly in terms of environmental, health, safety, and social impacts of the project, as well as documentation and progress reporting. We successfully responded all the challenges and gained new valuable experience, ultimately commissioning the DMDC in record time. The system is a firm foundation and the first step in the automation and digitalization of daily operations at KESH, affirming our position as a reliable partner in the digital transition of the energy system.

Over the last 15 years, we have made a significant impact on the Albanian power system by reconstructing and developing HV transformer substations, and now we have demonstrated our strength in implementing complex remote control systems for critical infrastructure, paving the way for future successful projects in the region.