Maritsa East 2 Thermal Power Plant has launched a project to protect its facilities from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which will upgrade the existing security infrastructure. The state-owned company announced a public procurement for the selection of a contractor with an estimated value of 8.5 million leva, with the application deadline being July 7, 2025.
The new system is driven by the need for an adequate response to modern threats and will include several key modules - detection and identification of UAVs, precise tracking and positioning, deterrence by disconnecting the operator and control over the drone, as well as functions for storing and analyzing data after incidents.
The protection will be organized in three concentric rings - an early detection zone with a radius of 3 kilometers, a verification zone (2 kilometers) and an active countermeasure zone (1.5 kilometers). The system's intelligent antennas will be able to intercept and control UAVs at a distance of up to 4 kilometers.
The technological solution will use radio frequency sensors and specialized software to detect, track and neutralize civilian drones, including in coordinated attacks. The contractor must provide the necessary software licenses and a warranty period of 36 months, specified "Danube Bridge".
The project envisages a significant investment in network and communication infrastructure - optical paths, power supply, switches, servers, security gateways and video surveillance. All components will be integrated with existing security systems and will be managed by a single software platform with capabilities for analysis, remote control and automatic activation of security protocols.
This investment comes in the context of growing concerns about the security of critical energy infrastructure worldwide. According to international experts, drones pose an increasingly serious threat to energy facilities due to their capabilities for surveillance, information collection or potential attacks.