Volgograd is creating a digital twin of its utility infrastructure
Volgograd is taking a major step toward modernizing its utility systems by launching a unified digital platform that will map, monitor, and forecast the city’s infrastructure needs
Energy and Utilities
City officials in Volgograd have begun developing a unified digital platform that will integrate all municipal utility systems into a single information environment. The city allocated approximately $290,000 for the development of a web application with an interactive map, scheduled for completion by March 31, 2027.
From Pipelines to Entire Districts
The new platform marks a significant milestone in the digital transformation of urban infrastructure. It will serve as a shared workspace for municipal agencies and resource providers, consolidating data on residential districts, water supply and wastewater networks, gas and electricity sources, and heat-generation facilities along with their service areas.
A key feature is the ability to display both existing infrastructure and facilities planned for construction. Using these datasets, the city will develop Volgograd’s comprehensive utilities development program through 2045, including an investment project portfolio and a deployment roadmap.
Digital Tools Reduce Risks
The platform offers substantial potential for infrastructure optimization. With access to systemwide data, the city will be able to forecast utility demand, identify emerging risks, and flag potential failures automatically.
For residents, the system promises fewer service disruptions, faster response times, and more efficient long‑term planning. For the city, it increases manageability, reduces failure risks, improves investment appeal, and enhances overall service quality.
In the future, the platform may be integrated with geospatial systems, smart meters, and sensor networks — laying the foundation for a full digital twin of Volgograd’s utility infrastructure.
The initiative aligns with national efforts under the Digital Economy program and smart‑utilities development strategies. If successful, the Volgograd model could serve as a template for other Russian regions and CIS countries.
Project challenges include maintaining up‑to‑date datasets, integrating systems from multiple agencies, and ensuring robust cybersecurity protections.
Russia’s Broader Digital Utilities Landscape
Volgograd’s initiative builds on a national trend toward digitalizing utilities. In December 2024, Russia’s Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities, Irek Fayzullin, announced plans for a federal digital system to track utility assets. The foundation is a database that regions have been populating since 2019 with information on 1 million infrastructure objects.
The Tula region has already launched a similar interactive utility‑mapping project, investing about $200,000.
In 2024, the state corporation Rosatom began modernizing the utility infrastructure of Obninsk by creating digital twins to support municipal utility management.
In May 2025, researchers at Novosibirsk State University announced the development of a digital twin for the utility and administrative systems of the science town Koltsovo.
For the City and the Country
Nationwide, Volgograd’s platform could emerge as a benchmark for replicable digital transformation in infrastructure management. A successful rollout will create the backbone for a next‑generation smart‑utility ecosystem capable of supporting the city for decades.
