Smart Street and Tunnel Lighting Control in North Macedonia

Since 2016, DITRA, in partnership with Elmond Electro, has been implementing comprehensive lighting control solutions across North Macedonia. The initiative includes both urban street lighting modernization and tunnel lighting optimization, leveraging DITRA’s intelligent control systems for safer, more efficient public lighting.

Group Control in 200+ Power Cabinets
  

More than 200 power cabinets across the country have been equipped with DITRA CORE PRO controllers, forming the backbone of a city-wide group lighting control system.

This solution provides:

• Centralized on/off switching and time-based scenarios for groups of luminaires

• Status monitoring and real-time diagnostics

• Scalable architecture with an upgrade path toward individual luminaire control

Group control is a cost-effective entry point for cities transitioning from basic infrastructure to smart lighting. It requires minimal investment and enables future integration with:

• Individual control nodes (GSM, PLC, RF)

• Motion and daylight sensors

• Other Smart City platforms such as traffic or environment monitoring systems

This flexible approach allows municipalities to evolve their lighting systems in line with available budgets and growing needs.

Tunnel Dimming with DITRA VoltEdge

Tunnel lighting presents a unique challenge: it must adapt to changing daylight conditions and ensure smooth visual transitions for drivers entering and exiting the tunnel. In Macedonia, many tunnels are still equipped with high-pressure sodium (HPS) luminaires, which are not natively dimmable like LEDs.

To address this, DITRA introduced its specialized solution — DITRA VoltEdge.

Why VoltEdge Works for Tunnel Lighting

DITRA VoltEdge was developed specifically to modernize lighting control where conventional lamps like HPS are still in use — particularly in tunnels and other mission-critical infrastructure. Its built-in functionality makes it a reliable and intelligent upgrade for aging systems.

Key Advantages:

• Scheduled switching for optimized energy usage and reduced waste

• Voltage stabilization across power lines to ensure consistent lighting performance

• Energy metering integration — collects real-time consumption data for analysis and reporting

• Soft start functionality protects lamps from voltage spikes and extends service life

• Line diagnostics for outgoing channels — enabling faster fault detection and higher reliability

• Built-in temperature monitoring ensures safe operation in enclosed environments

• Overload and short-circuit protection for added system resilience

• Emergency bypass keeps lights on in case of control failure

• Works with existing HPS and conventional luminaires, eliminating the need for costly replacements

Unlike traditional dimming systems that require luminaire replacement, VoltEdge works with existing infrastructure, allowing for significant savings and fast deployment — all while maintaining compliance with tunnel safety and lighting standards.

 

Smart Control at Any Scale

The Macedonian experience shows that intelligent lighting control can be implemented progressively, regardless of initial infrastructure. Starting with group control in power cabinets and adding targeted innovations like VoltEdge for tunnels, cities can build scalable, future-ready lighting systems that enhance safety, reduce energy use, and support Smart City integration.

Whether you’re managing modern LEDs or legacy HPS installations — DITRA offers tailored solutions that evolve with your city.