Prisma Photonics, a pioneer in grid monitoring technology using advanced optical fiber sensing, today announced the installation of its PrismaPower™ technology at EPRI’s Transmission & Distribution Laboratory in Lenox, Massachusetts. The installation is part of EPRI's Grid-Enhancing Technologies for a Smart Energy Transition (GET SET) initiative, which aims to accelerate research and adoption of technologies that can increase grid capacity, reliability, and efficiency.
The GET SET initiative, announced in June 2024, focuses on four potentially high-impact technologies to increase transmission capacity, including Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR). Prisma Photonics' fiber-optic-based monitoring technology will be evaluated alongside other DLR solutions on EPRI's new outdoor test bed, where varying loading conditions can be simulated and monitored.
Prisma Photonics' technology transforms existing optical fiber infrastructure into advanced sensing systems that deliver real-time power line monitoring without installing additional hardware on transmission lines. Using sophisticated machine learning models, the system detects and classifies events while precisely identifying line conditions at specific tower locations, enhancing grid resilience and enabling faster response times. For Dynamic Line Rating applications, PrismaPower™ continuously measures wind direction and speed across each power line span, identifying the least-cooled critical span in real time. This constant monitoring allows for dynamic adjustment of line ratings, safely unlocking additional capacity while maintaining asset integrity, a critical capability as utilities work to maximize existing infrastructure in the face of growing demand.
"Our participation in EPRI's research at the Lenox laboratory represents an important opportunity to demonstrate how innovative fiber sensing technology can enhance grid monitoring capabilities," said Dr. Eran Inbar, CEO of Prisma Photonics. "As utilities face increasing demands from extreme weather events, electrification, and the clean energy transition, technologies like ours can help maximize existing infrastructure investments while providing greater visibility into grid conditions."
The installation will be part of EPRI's broader testing program to evaluate and compare various DLR technologies under controlled conditions. EPRI's DLR test facility allows researchers to control the current flowing through individual conductors and simulate a wide range of loading conditions.
"The GET SET initiative aims to advance grid-enhancing technologies through rigorous, objective assessment," said Justin Bell, technical lead and research physicist at EPRI's High Voltage Laboratory in Lenox. "Our DLR test facility helps utilities and regulators understand how different technologies perform under various conditions, providing valuable insights."
DLR provides transmission ratings that accurately reflect real-time conditions, potentially increasing line capacity during favorable weather conditions when traditional static ratings may be unnecessarily conservative. DLR technologies like Prisma Photonics' solution can serve as a bridge to relieve congestion while long-lead-time transmission projects are implemented, potentially helping utilities handle increasing loads from data centers, electric transportation, and industrial growth.
Prisma Photonics serves leading power utilities in the United States, Europe, Israel, and other regions, helping them to identify threats like icing or wildfires on transmission assets in real-time while offering accurate line ratings to help utilities comply with regulations and increase capacity on congested networks.
