SSE Enterprise Telecoms and Synaptec have entered into a technical partnership.
The former will deploy the latter’s passive sensor networks into existing fibre infrastructure to allow greater visibility and control of increasingly complex and distributed networks. The aim is that this will lead to improved wide-area protection, control and asset management functions across networks and work to meet the challenge of delivering smarter grids in the future.
SSE Enterprise Telecoms has a 12,000km core fibre network spanning the UK, including remote areas of the Scottish Highlands. Adding the condition monitoring capability allows operators to make more informed decisions about network upgrades and preventative maintenance, as well as enhancing real-time control of critical high voltage assets. The technology will be used to reduce the capital cost of monitoring complex circuits and offer the potential to realise efficiencies at scale, with enhanced protection, automation, control and asset management functions to reduce both outages and engineering costs.
The companies say that network operators will see improved maintenance capabilities from these scalable sensor networks, delivering data to a newly created real-time analytics platform for predictive maintenance of critical assets which are often remote or inaccessible. This will allow early identification of issues such as ice build-up on power lines or impending failures in underground cable systems.
Colin Sempill, chief executive at SSE Enterprise Telecoms said: ‘The global demand for energy is changing significantly, due to the pursuit of cleaner energy and greater consumer awareness of how we generate and use our power. Supporting this shift to smarter energy requires suppliers to rethink how networks are managed in real-time, and to keep them safer, more efficient and reduce waste.’
Philip Orr, managing director at Synaptec said: ‘We look forward to the continued development of our relationship, which will ultimately lead to the UK energy sector having the capabilities to make more informed, safer and more cost-effective decisions. We’re future-proofing the industry for years to come, paving the way for smart grids and more environmentally conscious energy consumption.’
