OPGW is the dual shield for earthing & lightning protection in transmission lines

Steel Products Limited (SPL), a pioneer in live-line OPGW installations, has successfully deployed and commissioned over 45,000 km of OPGW across voltage levels ranging from 132 kV to 765 kV.

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In the ever-evolving domain of power transmission, the dual mandate of safeguarding assets and ensuring uninterrupted communication is increasingly being met through a single innovation: Optical Ground Wire (OPGW). Originally designed as a composite conductor that combines the mechanical strength of a ground wire with the datacarrying capacity of optical fibres, OPGW today plays a pivotal role in lightning protection, system grounding, and grid communication.

Role of earthing & lightning protection

High-voltage transmission lines, especially those operating at 132 kV and above, are naturally exposed to atmospheric discharges. Lightning strikes are a leading cause of faults and outages on transmission networks. In this context, ground wires (also called earth wires or shield wires) are strung above the phase conductors to intercept lightning strokes, channelling them safely into the earth, thus shielding the conductors and associated equipment.

However, conventional ground wires, while effective at dissipating surge energy, do not contribute to grid intelligence. This is where OPGW becomes a transformative asset.

Evolution of ground wire