What does it take to keep an entire nation’s power grid connected – from dense urban districts to remote coastal regions and island terrain? In Vietnam, the answer is more than 3,000 M!DGE routers forming the backbone of EVN’s SCADA communication network.
https//www.racom.eu/eng/case/3000-mdge-units-running-vietnams-powergrid
Challenge: Reliable SCADA Connectivity Across a Vast and Diverse Country
Vietnam Electricity (EVN) is responsible for generation, transmission and distribution nationwide. As part of its multiyear effort to modernise SCADA telemetry and bring thousands of reclosers online, EVN needed a communication solution able to operate in:
- remote and geographically isolated regions
- dense cities with RF congestion
- mountainous and tropical terrain
- a mix of legacy and modern SCADA devices
- strict reliability and security requirements for grid operations
Fibre was rarely available for recloser locations, and radio networks were difficult to deploy consistently across such diverse landscapes. Cellular connectivity emerged as the most practical and cost-effective approach.
Solution: M!DGE Routers Deliver Secure and Stable Nationwide Operation
Following extensive testing, EVN selected RACOM’s M!DGE cellular routers as the best-performing platform across reliability, security and integration flexibility.
Key strengths included:
- high link integrity in varied RF conditions
- full support for secure IPsec tunnels and VPN configurations
- reliable end-to-end data handling for IEC 101 (RS232) and IEC 104 (TCP/IP)
- seamless bridging between older serial-based equipment and modern IP SCADA
- stable performance across all regions of Vietnam
M!DGE routers connect remote reclosers to a central control system equipped with VPN concentrators from Cisco, Vigor and Juniper. Depending on topology, routers use encrypted IPsec tunnels or secure NAPT configurations.
Results: A Proven, Scalable and Long-Term SCADA Platform
Since the initial rollout in 2017, EVN has steadily expanded the network with every generation of the M!DGE family, including today’s M!DGE3.
Key outcomes:
- more than 3,000 deployed units ensuring nationwide SCADA communication
- simplified installation enabling EVN’s regional teams to deploy routers with minimal support
- smooth migration from IEC 101 serial devices to IEC 104 IP technology
- reliable operation in environments ranging from city centres to remote islands
- a communication platform ready for long-term national SCADA growth
The project stands as a powerful example of how M!DGE combines security, flexibility and long-term durability to support mission-critical utility networks at national scale.
