This paper contributes to the development of a thermo-dynamic model of the 1 MW cogenerative internal combustion engine (ICE.), including also an artificial neural network simulator of the electronic control module. Such a study is part of a more wide research activity, concerning the development of a diagnosis and monitoring system specifically for power plants. In particular, the engine model was realized to simulate the engine functioning also in the case of malfunctions and failures occurrence, taking in consideration the compensation effect operated by the regulation system. The complete model was tested in reference to several experimental conditions, in particular in a first phase relative to different values of the target electrical power and, subsequently, concerning the case of compressor fouling. Therefore it was validated both the thermo-dynamic model and the regulator operation in reference to the experimental data. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.