Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) is widening its collaboration with Prisma Photonics to use the company’s optical fiber technology to monitor more of the utility’s power grid.
The deal extends by 1000 km (more than 620 miles) of monitoring coverage, or about 20% of the transmission grid.
The solution will monitor events threatening the regular operation of the power network and alert on faults with exact geographical locations. Monitoring will allow better grid management, fast fault response and increase the grid's reliability.
In addition, collected weather and grid data will optimize the existing network, paving the way to better integrate renewable energy sources on the path to net zero emissions and IEC's long-term sustainable vision.
PrismaPower uses the existing optical fiber network to monitor hundreds and even thousands of kilometers on the grid. It measures weather conditions around the electrical lines, locating faults and vandalism. The information and alerts pinpoint the location of the closest power tower, enabling quick response to restore service to normal. PrismaPower also uncovers slow processes such as partial discharges, which can harm the network, thus allowing preventive maintenance and increasing the power network's resiliency.
The Prisma Photonics system is based on a groundbreaking technology anchored in several patents. Having won several technological contests worldwide, infrastructure operators have already used its technology globally.
The IEC deployment will grant both companies valuable data across different seasons and geographies collected from overhead and underground transmission lines. This data contains important insights that will help enhance the grid's reliability. The extension by IEC reflects the importance that IEC sees in advanced novel technologies that ensure the safety and integrity of the transmission system side by side with environmental accountability.
