PPC’s demonstrations features a digital twin of a hydropower plant that leverages advanced monitoring technologies to enable predictive maintenance and improve overall efficiency alongside cyber-security threat detection.
Athens, Greece – January 2026 — As part of the EU-funded D-HYDROFLEX project, the Platanovrysi Hydropower plant demo is showcasing how digital technologies can transform traditional hydropower infrastructure into a flexible, secure, and sustainable pillar of Europe’s energy transition. Additionally, the Ilarionas HPP serves as one of the project’s demonstration sites, to facilitate the development of real-world cybersecurity threat detection solutions in HPP operational environment.
Demo Case at a Glance
Locations: Platanovrysi Hydropower Plant, Drama, Greece & Ilarionas Hydropower Plant, Kozani, Greece
Lead Partners: Public Power Corporation S.A. (PPC), METAMIND INNOVATIONS (MINDS), UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (UCL), UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (UOC)
Demo Goals
- Implement high-resolution laser scanning and drone-based visual inspection to support the creation of the digital twin.
- Integrate SCADA and sensor data to support predictive maintenance and enhanced operational flexibility.
- Deploy and validate the HYDRO-FBOX as a cyber-threat detection system for HPPs.
Challenges Faced
The demo tackled key barriers such as:
- The submerged sections of the upstream face could not be captured due to high sediment accumulation and dense aquatic vegetation, which made underwater surveys infeasible.
- Strict safety and access restrictions during high inflow and operation periods constrained the available time for field measurements.
- Access to actual HPP network infrastructure is forbidden due to operational security rules and data protection constraints.
Innovative Solutions Delivered
To overcome these, the team delivered:
- The submerged sections were reliably inferred from the detailed dam geometry, using CAD files originating from the construction phase.
- Terrestrial laser scanning (LiDAR) and aerial photogrammetry were conducted to generate a high-resolution 3D surface model of the dam structure.
- Thermal scan for surface integrity assessment and hotspot detection is planned to further enhance and validate the performed analysis.
- HPP network infrastructure is emulated in the PPC lab to test the developments of HYDRO-FBOX in cyber monitoring and early warning of abnormal conditions or threats.
Impact & Future Outlook
Early results show:
- The digital twin enables precise tracking of structural changes and supports long-term asset management.
- Insights from the demos will inform PPC’s wider hydropower digitalisation roadmap, expanding similar tools to other HPPs such as Kremasta.
Voices from the Demo
“At Platanovrysi, we combine field innovation with data-driven insights. The digital twin will allow us to visualise, assess and manage the plant’s assets in real time, marking an important step in PPC’s digital transformation journey” – said Christina Papapostolou, Director EU Projects Coordination Department, PPC S.A.
To learn more, please visit https://d-hydroflex.eu/ to explore all demonstration sites and stay updated on the project’s progress. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter for the latest news and insights.
