CGES has recently introduced a new telecommunications system comprising IP telephony and a transport system based on the latest IP/MPLS technology. This system will enable greater efficiency, reliability, stability and quality of service in data transmission. between different energy facilities and contribute to the stability and security of the electricity supply.
The project was completed ahead of schedule and implemented at the end of 2023. The value of the investment is 1,500,000. € and is financed from CGES's own funds.
CGES owns its own passive optical network and, in combination with new IP/MPLS active equipment, has a modern and reliable telecommunications system at its disposal, connecting all sites of interest to CGES. The new telecommunications system will provide an additional degree of reliability and availability when transmitting services essential for the normal operation of the electricity transmission system, such as: SCADA systems, measurement systems, operational telephony, protection systems, video surveillance, the business network, information exchange with Elektroprivreda Crne Gore and CEDIS, international connections with neighbouring transmission system operators, and many others. To this end, redundancies have been implemented in the system at multiple levels. Each location is served by multiple redundant telecommunication links, both via optical cables and radio relay links. Redundancies have also been implemented at the level of power supplies, modular power, processor and traffic cards, right up to the level of communication interfaces.
An Information and Communications Network built in this way provides a secure means of data transmission and connectivity for both non-critical and critical systems. In addition to a transmission speed of 10Gbit/s, with the possibility of upgrading to 100Gbit/s, it is important to note the system's main functionality, which is to ensure the simultaneous transmission of different types of data from different systems, over a single information and communication network, with services being completely logically separated, which is a very important characteristic from an information security perspective. This ensures maximum priority and security for critical over non-critical systems, i.e., it protects the information of one system from another.
The new IP/MPLS telecommunications system will fully meet the needs of the CGES, and potentially enables the connection of all state-level institutions and entities throughout Montenegro.
The management, monitoring and configuration of the IP/MPLS network is carried out centrally from the National Dispatch Centre in Podgorica, via a dedicated central management system. The system has a graphical user interface (GUI), which allows CGES staff to monitor the status of the network and individual services in real time, in addition to configuration and management.
It is important to note that the project managed by the Telecommunications Service within the ICT Sector of the CGES and that the new TK system is the result of dedicated the staff of the Telecommunications Service, who participated in the realisation of the project from design and implementation, right through to the commissioning of the entire system.
With this project CGES has shown that it keeps pace with the times not only in energy, but also in ICT solutions, as the management of large industrial systems, such as Montenegro's electricity system, cannot be imagined without such a telecommunications system.