GRNET, NKUA and Motor Oil Hellas Demonstrate Quantum-Secure Communications through a Successful HellasQCI QKD Pilot at Motor Oil’s Corinth Refineries
On 27 January 2026, GRNET, in collaboration with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Motor Oil Hellas successfully implemented a use case of the HellasQCI project (Quantum cryptography to secure communication links of critical infrastructures) at the Corinth Refineries of Motor Oil Hellas in Agioi Theodoroi.
The use case involved the deployment and operation of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) equipment in a real industrial environment, with the objective of conducting tests for the exchange of quantum-secure encrypted communications between selected points within the refinery. This activity demonstrated the application of quantum cryptography technologies in an operational critical infrastructure setting.
The installation and testing activities were carried out by engineering teams from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and GRNET, in close collaboration with the ICT department of Motor Oil. Two locations were selected for the deployment: the refinery’s main Data Center and the Data Center of the Hydro Cracker (Hydro) unit. These locations were chosen as they constitute core aggregation points for data traffic and high-availability network configurations within the refinery infrastructure.
At each location, a QKD device (Alice–Bob pair) was installed, together with an Ethernet switch capable of consuming QKD-generated keys. The two sites were interconnected via the existing optical fiber network of Motor Oil. Through this setup, symmetric QKD keys were used in place of conventional cryptographic keys by the switches, enabling the establishment of a high-speed, quantum-secure Layer-2 (MACsec) communication channel.
As a result of this configuration, communication between the two data centers was rendered quantum-resistant, enhancing protection against potential quantum-enabled attacks. Following the successful initial trial, Motor Oil, in collaboration with GRNET and NKUA, planned to continue testing the solution under real operational scenarios, in order to further evaluate its functionality under varying operating conditions of the critical infrastructure.
Key project partner organisation representatives were present at the installation and demonstration, including Mr. Dionysis Vythoulkas, ICT Manager, Motor Oil, Ms. Elena Koustibi, EU Affairs Associate, Motor Oil, Dr. Ilias Papastamatiou, Senior Project Manager, GRNET,HellasQCI Project Coordinator, and Prof. George Kanellos, NKUA, HellasQCI Project Technical Coordinator.
The HellasQCI Project is coordinated by GRNET S.A. – National Infrastructures for Research and Technology, operating under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence with the support of the General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Post.
