Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Connecting Fiber Optic Ground Wire for Electric Grid Control
At Sertex, our crews do it all. On any given day, our teams are deployed on diverse projects from installing in-home fiber connections to building remote fiber networks to reinforcing critical utility infrastructure with fiber optic technology, specifically Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) connections.
Found in the topmost position of transmission towers, OPGW is a specialized type of cable installed on high-voltage power infrastructure. It serves two main purposes. First, optical ground wire protects power lines from lightning strikes and electrical faults. It also provides high-speed data communication capacity for utility companies to control power transmission and offer fiber services to non-utility users.
Sertex is one of a select few companies certified by regional utilities to splice and test OPGW cables in the northeast. We have extensive experience working on projects for more than 30 years. Currently, specially trained Sertex teams are deployed throughout New England and NY splicing and testing hundreds of miles of OPGW in remote and difficult-to-reach locations and all types of terrain.
Safety is a top priority during OPGW work. Our crews work in teams and must follow strict procedures, wearing specialized protective gear and operating custom-built splicing labs and bucket trucks.
Splicing is done 16 to 20 feet above ground, and both vehicles and cables are grounded to -protect against injury.
Skilled technicians strip away outer layers of protective materials to access and splice delicate optical fibers. After splicing, technicians conduct various tests to ensure the electrical grounding and fiber optic transmission systems are operating correctly.
To ensure the security of electrical substations, all Sertex OPGW technicians are Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) trained and certified. This set of standards helps regulate, enforce, monitor, and manage the security of the North American electric grid.
Sertex is proud to play a crucial role in maintaining the reliability of the power grid with fiber optic technology in partnership with regional and local utilities.