Imagine your power grid could detect faults and fix itself in milliseconds instead of waiting for a technician to drive out and find the problem. That's what SMART5GRID built — using 5G mobile networks to give electricity grid operators real-time eyes and ears across their entire distribution network. Think of it like upgrading from a landline phone to a smartphone, but for how power companies monitor and control their grids. They tested four real-world applications across multiple countries, from automatic fault detection to remote inspection of work zones and millisecond-level control of renewable energy sources feeding into the grid.
Power grid operators face growing complexity as renewable energy sources multiply across medium-voltage networks, but their communication infrastructure cannot deliver the real-time monitoring and millisecond-level control these modern grids demand. Fault detection is slow, remote inspection is manual and expensive, and distributed generation from renewables is difficult to synchronize precisely. Without a high-speed, reliable communication backbone like 5G, grid operators cannot achieve the automation and responsiveness their networks increasingly require.
The project built and pilot-validated 4 concrete 5G-based applications for energy grids: automatic fault detection on distribution networks, remote inspection of delimited working areas, millisecond-level precise control of distributed renewable generation, and real-time wide area monitoring across borders. Additionally, they created an open 5G experimental facility and NetApp repository where third-party developers can build and test their own energy-sector applications.
If you are a distribution system operator dealing with slow fault detection and costly truck rolls to inspect grid failures — this project developed and pilot-tested a 5G-based automatic power distribution grid fault detection system that pinpoints problems in real time. With 31 partners across 7 countries validating results, the technology was demonstrated at pilot scale on real grid infrastructure.
If you are a renewable energy operator struggling with millisecond-level synchronization of distributed generation feeding into the grid — this project built and validated a precise distribution generation control application over 5G. It enables real-time balancing of variable renewable sources at the medium-voltage level, tested across cross-border scenarios with EUR 5,999,988 in EU backing.
If you are a telecom company or software developer looking to build energy-sector applications on 5G — this project created an open 5G experimental facility and NetApp repository where third parties can integrate, test, and validate new services. The platform was designed specifically for the energy vertical with a clear experimentation roadmap for startups and newcomers.
The project itself received EUR 5,999,988 in EU funding across 31 partners. Specific per-unit or licensing costs for the individual NetApps are not disclosed in publicly available project data. Prospective adopters would need to discuss commercial terms directly with the consortium partners.
The project was specifically designed for cross-border scenarios and tested across 7 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal). The 4 use cases were validated at pilot level on real grid infrastructure, covering medium-voltage distribution networks from secondary substations to primary substations.
The consortium is led by ENEL GRIDS S.R.L. (Italy) and includes 28 industry partners. IP ownership is governed by the EU grant agreement among the 31 consortium members. The project also built an open-access NetApp repository designed for third-party use, which may offer more accessible entry points.
Yes. All 4 use cases completed system tests and pilot validation. The deliverables explicitly describe pilot validation execution and final comprehensive technical KPI analysis for each use case — automatic fault detection, remote inspection, millisecond-level generation control, and real-time wide area monitoring.
The project uses network softwarisation and a DevOps approach, building NetApps (network applications) that run on 5G Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) infrastructure. Based on available project data, the platform was designed to support integration with existing energy systems, but specific integration protocols would need to be discussed with the consortium.
The project closed in April 2024. Based on available project data, the open service repository and experimental facility were core deliverables. Whether the platform remains active post-project would need to be confirmed with the consortium partners. The project website at smart5grid.eu may have current status information.
The project addresses requirements for distribution system operators and transmission system operators within the European energy regulatory environment. The 5G infrastructure was tested against end-to-end latency, reliability, and availability requirements specified for energy-sector use cases. Specific regulatory certifications are not detailed in the available project data.
This is an exceptionally industry-heavy consortium with 28 out of 31 partners coming from industry (90% ratio), led by ENEL GRIDS — one of Europe's largest electricity distribution companies. The presence of 13 SMEs alongside major players suggests a healthy mix of established utilities and agile technology providers. With only 2 universities and 1 research organization, this was clearly built for deployment rather than academic exploration. The 7-country spread across Southern and Eastern Europe (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal) provides validation across diverse grid conditions and regulatory environments, making the results more broadly applicable across European markets.
ENEL GRIDS S.R.L. is the coordinator — a major Italian distribution system operator and part of the ENEL Group. Contact through their corporate innovation or partnerships department.
Want an introduction to the SMART5GRID team or a detailed technology brief on any of the 4 use cases? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partner for your specific grid challenge.
