Aging Grid Infrastructure
Aging insulation, cable joints and electrical connections can develop thermal faults that remain hidden until a failure or outage occurs.
ENERGY & UTILITIES
Fiber Optic Monitoring for Energy & Utilities
Distributed fiber optic sensing solutions for continuous thermal monitoring, asset protection and grid reliability.
EXPLORE ENERGY MONITORING
CONTINUOUS THERMAL INSIGHT
Continuous Monitoring for Critical Energy Infrastructure
Modern energy networks are becoming more complex as electrical demand increases and renewable generation, underground power cables, distributed substations and battery energy storage systems expand across the grid.
FOTAS provides advanced Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) solutions for continuous thermal monitoring across critical electrical assets. The sensing fiber delivers real-time temperature information along power cables, transformers, substations, battery systems and renewable energy installations.
By replacing isolated temperature measurements with continuous thermal profiles, operators can identify abnormal conditions earlier, improve maintenance planning and make better-informed operational decisions.
KEY CHALLENGES
Key Energy Infrastructure Challenges
Continuous asset visibility is increasingly important as electrical networks operate under greater thermal and operational pressure.
Increasing Electrical Loads
Variable and increasing power demand creates additional thermal stress across cables, transformers, switchgear and other high-value assets.
Distributed Energy Assets
Solar farms, remote substations and battery storage sites cover large areas where conventional inspection and point monitoring can be difficult.
Operational Continuity
Unexpected overheating and electrical faults can lead to costly shutdowns, reduced energy production and damage to critical infrastructure.
FOTAS SOLUTIONS
FOTAS Solutions for Energy & Utilities
Continuous fiber optic temperature monitoring for the most critical components of modern electrical infrastructure.
CABLE TEMPERATURE AND LOAD MONITORING
Power Cable Monitoring
FOTAS DTS continuously measures temperature along underground, subsea and above-ground power cable routes. It provides operators with a complete thermal profile instead of temperature information from only a limited number of measurement points.
- Continuous cable temperature profiling
- Thermal hot spot detection
- Cable joint and connection monitoring
- Dynamic cable rating support
- Early insulation fault indication
ELECTRICAL ASSET CONDITION MONITORING
Transformers & Substations
Continuous thermal monitoring helps operators detect abnormal temperature behaviour across transformers, switchgear, busbars, cable terminations and other high-value electrical components.
- Transformer temperature monitoring
- Switchgear and busbar profiling
- Connection hot spot detection
- Cooling performance assessment
- Predictive maintenance support
BATTERY SAFETY AND FIRE PREVENTION
Battery Energy Storage Systems
FOTAS DTS provides continuous temperature data across battery racks, modules and containerised BESS installations. Early identification of abnormal heat development supports fire prevention and thermal runaway response strategies.
- Battery rack temperature monitoring
- Early thermal anomaly detection
- Thermal runaway risk indication
- Container and module monitoring
- Fire system integration
RENEWABLE ENERGY ASSET MONITORING
Solar PV Farms
Continuous fiber optic sensing improves thermal visibility across utility-scale solar farms, including panel rows, DC cabling, electrical connectors, inverter stations and cable trench routes.
- Solar cable temperature monitoring
- DC connector hot spot detection
- Inverter station monitoring
- Fire risk reduction
- Reduced inspection requirements
SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
Energy Monitoring Architecture
Fiber optic sensing cables are installed alongside power cables or positioned near transformers, substations, battery racks, switchgear, solar infrastructure and other critical electrical assets.
The FOTAS DTS interrogator continuously analyses temperature along the sensing fiber and provides real-time thermal profiles, alarm information and precise event localisation.
Monitoring data can be transferred to existing grid and facility platforms, supporting automated alarms, load optimisation, maintenance planning and coordinated operational response.
SCADA
EMS
BMS
REST API
Alarm Systems
Control Room
APPLICATIONS
Typical Energy & Utility Applications
Continuous thermal sensing across power generation, transmission, distribution and energy storage assets.
Power Cable Monitoring
Transformer Monitoring
Substation Monitoring
BESS Thermal Monitoring
Solar PV Farm Monitoring
Switchgear & Busbar Monitoring
KEY BENEFITS
Why Continuous Fiber Optic Monitoring
Distributed thermal sensing turns isolated readings into continuous asset intelligence across the entire electrical network.
Continuous Thermal Visibility
Monitor long electrical assets and distributed infrastructure without relying only on isolated point measurements.
Early Fault Detection
Detect abnormal heat development before it results in equipment failure, fire or an unexpected outage.
Precise Event Localisation
Identify the location of thermal anomalies and direct maintenance teams to the affected asset.
Predictive Maintenance
Analyse thermal trends to identify developing asset problems and improve maintenance planning.
Improved Grid Reliability
Reduce operational uncertainty and support the reliable performance of critical energy infrastructure.
Tailored to Your Assets
Every deployment is engineered around the monitored asset, sensing cable routing and required integration.
Talk to our team
ENERGY & UTILITIES MONITORING
Improve the Reliability of Your Energy Assets
Talk to our engineering team about a fiber optic monitoring solution designed for your power cable, substation, BESS or renewable energy project.