Serbia has completed a €1.84 million SCADA project covering more than 19,000 kilometres of gas distribution network, introducing centralised digital monitoring and control across a system spanning more than 54% of the country’s territory.
- Centralised monitoring covers distribution infrastructure
- New supply routes increase network management requirements
- Smart metering could extend the digital system
- Digital monitoring supports asset maintenance
- SCADA requires continuing digital infrastructure investment
- Gas infrastructure investment expands beyond pipelines
The EU-supported investment provides operators with centralised information on gas pressures, flows, alarms and equipment status throughout the distribution network. The platform expands digital control across infrastructure that is becoming more complex as Serbia develops additional supply connections, diversifies gas sources and prepares further investments in transmission and storage.
Centralised monitoring covers distribution infrastructure
The SCADA system enables operators to monitor network conditions centrally rather than relying solely on local measurements and inspections. Pressure changes, equipment faults and abnormal consumption patterns can be identified through the digital platform, allowing operators to respond to network failures, leaks and supply imbalances. The system also creates a data infrastructure that can support predictive maintenance, automated pressure optimisation, network-loss analysis and future smart-metering integration.
New supply routes increase network management requirements
Serbia’s gas infrastructure is expanding alongside efforts to diversify supply routes. The Bulgaria interconnector provides access to Azerbaijani gas and LNG routes through Greece. A connection with Romania is moving towards procurement, while an interconnector with North Macedonia forms part of the longer-term diversification plan.
The country is also preparing further transmission investment towards Romania and North Macedonia, alongside domestic gas-storage infrastructure. Multiple entry points and changing storage flows increase the requirements for monitoring pressures and gas movements across the network. Industrial consumption can also vary significantly during periods of high demand. Centralised visibility of flows and pressures can provide operators with information for managing different supply sources and identifying potential network bottlenecks.
Smart metering could extend the digital system
The SCADA platform can provide a foundation for more detailed consumption monitoring through the future integration of smart meters. Smart metering can generate consumption information at shorter intervals than traditional billing systems, supporting forecasting, balancing and the allocation of gas between suppliers.
For industrial customers, more frequent consumption data can also be used in energy-management programmes. Factories can monitor usage across shifts or production lines and identify abnormal consumption patterns without waiting for monthly billing information.
Digital monitoring supports asset maintenance
The distribution network contains thousands of valves, pressure-regulation stations, measuring points and other assets spread across a large geographical area. Traditional maintenance can rely on fixed inspection schedules, while data from a digital monitoring system can provide information about changes in equipment performance. This can allow maintenance teams to prioritise assets according to their operating condition rather than relying solely on their age. The system can also support the allocation of field personnel and reduce the need for emergency interventions where developing equipment problems are identified earlier.
SCADA requires continuing digital infrastructure investment
The effectiveness of the platform depends on the quality of its sensors, communications systems and underlying asset data. Maintaining accurate measurements requires ongoing calibration, while the digital infrastructure also requires cybersecurity, communications redundancy and data-governance procedures.
As the SCADA platform becomes part of the country’s critical gas infrastructure, protection of digital systems becomes an operational requirement alongside physical pipeline security. The project therefore requires continued investment in the systems supporting the platform rather than functioning solely as a one-time technology deployment.
Gas infrastructure investment expands beyond pipelines
Serbia’s gas-sector investment has traditionally focused on physical infrastructure, including pipelines, interconnectors and storage facilities. The completion of the €1.84 million SCADA project adds a digital component to that investment cycle, covering more than 19,000 kilometres of distribution infrastructure. The platform provides an operational control layer for a gas system with multiple supply routes and expanding storage and transmission infrastructure. Further development can include smart metering, predictive maintenance, network-loss monitoring and gas balancing, extending digital control from infrastructure monitoring into broader network operations.
