EG.D has chosen Hexagon’s HxGN dC3 LidarVision for pioneering it’s substation security project.
EG.D, part of the E.ON group, reportedly supplies electricity to 2.7 million people in the southern regions of the Czech Republic, on the borders of Austria and Germany.
The company is said to operate and maintain infrastructure, including power lines and high-voltage transformer substations.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2024, global electricity consumption increased nearly two times the annual average of the past decade.
At the same time, new regulations such as the Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive will reportedly come into force across all European Union Member States in July 2026.
Germany’s KRITIS Umbrella Act was also introduced recently to provide a unified, cross-sector framework guiding operators of national critical infrastructure to enhance their resilience against a wide range of threats.
EG.D has reportedly chosen Hexagon to assess how volumetric and LiDAR technology could be used to bolster the physical security of its substations. For this, it chose Hexagon’s HxGN dC3 LidarVision.
For energy providers, transformer substations are an integral component of the energy grid, securely and reliably transmitting electricity to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, etc., at the correct voltage.
Major incidents involving substations are reportedly rare, due to the rigorous monitoring, maintenance, safety and security measures in place.
However, when a situation arises, it is said to cause significant problems, as was highlighted in early 2025 when a fire at a site in the UK interrupted power to 5,000 homes and affected a large international airport.
Until recently, best practice for safeguarding unmanned substations reportely focused on traditional forms of perimeter protection using fencing (typically steel and passive infrared sensors), alarms, remote monitoring via CCTV cameras and an access control system (often operated via a card or biometrics to manage authorised entrance).
According to EG.D the company wanted to pioneer a pilot project that would test capabilities of the very latest in LiDAR-based 3D surveillance technology.
Tomáš Sofka, Security Technologies, EG.D explained: “We have partnered with Hexagon for many years in the field of GIS and were particularly impressed by their innovative solutions in volumetric detection and LiDAR technology.
“We wanted to assess how the technology could be used to provide stronger security to keep unauthorised people out of substations, locate intruders and improve safeguards for maintenance personnel while they are working on-site near high-voltage equipment.”
HxGN dC3 LidarVision was reportedly the solution chosen for the project.
This 3D surveillance software solution is said to be based on volumetric detection technology and is designed to secure entire sites, unlike traditional perimeter protection systems, which tend to concentrate only on the fence line.
The project reportedly uses five strategically placed LiDAR sensors that enable the virtual creation of secure, safe and sterile zones (including the perimeter fence).
The company has articulated that these zones are be to be switched on and off or changed at the click of a button or drag of the mouse.
For example, when maintenance is being carried out, the zone in which the work is taking place can reportedly be deactivated.
Meanwhile, other areas are said to remain live to prevent workers from straying into an unauthorised or potentially hazardous area.
Authorised personnel and trespassers can also reportedly be automatically monitored and tracked via a live, real-time feed into EG.D’s security control room.
Furthermore, the system is said to recognise the number of people and their precise positions, along with their speeds and directions of movement (if walking or running) and even their projected trajectories.
This can reportedly be augmented further with PTZ cameras, alarms and speaker systems to communicate with the person(s) in question.
Another significant advantage of this type of system is reportedly the ability to create a digital twin for every substation.
In doing so, the company articulated, scenarios can be played out virtually to test the resistance and resilience of safety and security measures.
Essentially, it can create a 3D representation/map of the entire facility that you can interact with.
The company has articulated that the positioning of LiDAR sensors and cameras can be optimised to mitigate potential blind spots or poor viewing angles before anyone steps on site.
The system can reportedly be enhanced further using thermal sensors and cameras that monitor the temperature of designated areas and raise an alert if it deviates from the norm.
This is said to be a valuable feature for intrusion detection (whether human or animal) and the early detection of fire, before it begins to smoke or ignite.
Sofka concluded: “Our experience working with Hexagon has been exceptional. The collaboration was exemplary and professional throughout all phases of the project.
“The response of the management team to the pilot operation has been overwhelmingly positive and we highly recommend Hexagon to other organisations.”
As a result of the pilot’s success, EG.D and Hexagon are reportedly working together on a plan to roll out HxGN dC3 LidarVision to other energy facilities across the grid.
The company is also said to be actively sharing its knowledge with other national energy companies, including those in the U.S. and Asia-Pacific region, which are considering this new approach as the possible gold standard for substation resilience, safety and security.
