Next year, energy markets will be united between the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) countries and Iraq. The advanced Damas MMS:E software, which reacts flexibly to power fluctuations and assures grid stability, will be delivered by Czech company Unicorn. Founded back in 1990, Unicorn has supplied Damas MMS:E in Europe for nearly two decades, including in Norway, Austria, Poland, and recently Portugal.

The contract was signed on 9 October 2024 in Dammam between the Republic of Iraq and the GCCIA organisation, which manages the high-voltage infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Katar, Oman, and the UAE. The ceremony even had His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Bandar, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province, and representatives in attendance.

Ahmed Al-Ibrahim, General Manager of the GCCIA, stated that the project will provide Iraq with another reliable source of electrical power, to help to satisfy its growing energy needs. “According to the scenarios stipulated for 2025, Iraq will be able to import about 3.94 terawatt-hours per year from GCCIA countries. That’s equivalent to as much as 175 million dollars saved annually.”

Czech company Unicorn played a role in this strategic project, which looks to expand to other Arab countries in the coming years. “We consider this a giant milestone and confirmation of our ability to supply first-rate energy market solutions on a global scale. We believe the successful implementation of our product in the Persian Gulf will open new doors to us, leading to other opportunities and an expansion into the Near East,” stated Jan Jaroš, General Manager of Unicorn.

A team of five experts from Unicorn will work on-site on the project, ensuring a smooth implementation and support. Unicorn will also open a branch in Saudi Arabia with 25 employees.

The Czech software company will supply the so-called “Electricity Market Management System (EMMS)”, which will help the Arab organisation to increase the efficiency of its energy market processes, for instance, by coordinating capacity management across each zone.

This project costing multiple millions of dollars is built on the Damas MMS:E product, which is a comprehensive platform for energy market management, designed and developed for the needs of market and transmission system operators.

“Thanks to its flexibility and configurability, our solution is prepared for the coming changes and expansion, including new market types and processes to ensure the deliveries’ security. The EMMS system for the GCCIA will be built using the existing Damas MMS:E trade modules, which correspond with the most modern technical and professional standards,” explains Michal Vacek, Manager of the Unicorn division tasked with handling this groundbreaking contract.

The system works in the cloud, enables mobile device access, has premium security, and offers vast configuration options. It provides information in real time, thus raising market efficiency, reducing waste, and improving transparency. Network operators and market participants will have access to loads of data and analyses, to help them make better decisions and forecast further developments.

The flexible software can adjust to the growing requirements of sustainability and the transfer to green energy.

Unicorn has delivered information systems to European transmission system operators for over 25 years. That makes the entire Damas MMS platform the result of a wealth of experience and one of the most-used products of its type in Europe.