Hydroelectric power plants

Solution description

The waterworks of the Vltava Cascade and strategic pumped storage power plants form the pillar of the Czech Republic's energy system. However, their importance is far from being only economic; they represent critical infrastructure whose disruption would have fatal consequences for the safety and ecology of large areas, including the capital city of Prague.

The history of our cooperation in securing these facilities dates back to the 1990s. At that time, the first generation of optical converters for video and data transmission were installed in Lipno, Orlík, Štěchovice, Slapy and Římov. The turning point was September 11, 2001, after which the CEZ Group fundamentally reconsidered security protocols and invested massive resources in the physical and technological protection of dams.

Our technologies became the cornerstone of this security. However, with the passage of time and increasing demands on cybersecurity and the volume of data transmitted, the need to move to a more intelligent platform arose. That's why a comprehensive upgrade was launched in 2022, replacing legacy point-to-point links with the advanced LAN-RING system.

Solution content

At the heart of the upgrade is the implementation of the LAN-RING industrial communications system, which transforms the original simple links into a highly resilient network architecture. Key elements of the solution include:

  • Backbone circular topology: a redundant circular network was created at each site. In the event of a fibre optic cable break (e.g. during construction work or a natural disaster), traffic is rerouted within milliseconds, ensuring uninterrupted surveillance functionality.

  • Intelligent switching: deployment of controlled industrial switches of the LAN-RING series, which are designed for extreme conditions in manholes and process areas of dams with high humidity and temperature fluctuations.

  • High-capacity video transmission: the system now securely handles data streams from dozens of advanced 4K and thermal imaging cameras for perimeter intrusion detection as well as technical monitoring of waterworks conditions.

  • Inaddition to video, the network unifies transmissions from EZS (electronic security alarm systems), EKV (access control systems) and telemetry sensors monitoring the physical parameters of the dams.

  • Cyber resilience.

Solution benefits

The gradual transition to the LAN-RING platform brings the customer a major qualitative shift in several key areas:

  • Maximum utilization of existing infrastructure (Cost-efficiency) -> A unique feature of the LAN-RING system is its ability to run a high-speed gigabit backbone network even on legacy multimedia (MM) fiber optics. For CEZ Group, this has meant substantial cost savings, as the upgrade can be carried out without the need for costly excavation and laying of new routes in the difficult-to-access concrete masses of dams. This backward compatibility significantly accelerates system deployment and reduces overall costs while maintaining superior transmission parameters.

  • Extreme reliability (Redundancy): the LAN-RING protocol makes the system immune to single points of failure. In a strategic power plant environment, fault tolerance is an absolute priority.

  • Scalability and modularity: the new architecture allows for easy connection of additional safety components in the future without the need for radical intervention in the existing cabling.

  • Centralized management: managing the entire system is now more efficient. Diagnostics of the status of ports, optical paths and connected cameras are performed in real time from a single workstation, reducing maintenance response time.

  • High throughput: The move from analogue and simple digital converters to full gigabit interfaces has removed bottlenecks in data transmission and enabled full use of advanced analytics.

  • The hardware used meets stringent industry standards, which, combined with Czech development and technical support, guarantees system uptime for decades to come.