The Central Electricity Authority has issued comprehensive guidelines on allocating and sharing optical ground wire and underground fiber optic cables in the power sector, aiming to enhance grid communication while regulating commercial leasing.
The guidelines, released in February 2025, establish a structured approach to fiber allocation, ensuring the reliability of power system communications and mitigating potential conflicts between stakeholders.
The new framework prioritizes grid security while permitting limited commercial utilization of spare fibers.
“The rapid expansion and modernization of the power sector necessitates a robust, secure and efficient communication infrastructure. OGW/UFGO play a crucial role in ensuring data exchange, real-time monitoring and reliable operations of power systems,” said Suman Kumar Maharana, chief engineer, power systems communication development division, CEA in a memo.
However, with increasing demand and multiple stakeholders involved in fiber usage, it has become essential to establish a standard framework governing the sharing and utilization of the fiber networks.
Structured Fiber Allocation
The guidelines mandate that at least six fibers be reserved on any transmission line for critical grid communication needs, including supervisory control and data acquisition, phasor measurement units and automatic generation control.
Additional fibers will be allocated for future grid expansion, alternative communication paths, and network reconfiguration.
Transmission lines requiring differential protection will use four fibers for single-circuit lines, while eight will be required for double-circuit configurations. Spare fibers will be allocated based on future needs, ensuring system resilience.
Regulated Commercial Leasing
While the primary purpose of OPGW fibers is to support power system operations, the guidelines allow transmission service providers to lease spare fibers for commercial use, subject to conditions.
Utilities must ensure that commercial contracts include provisions allowing them to reclaim leased fibers for grid applications with an 18-month notice period.
Before leasing, State Transmission Utilities and TSPs must assess future grid communication needs for at least five years.
Any proposal for commercial leasing of inter-state transmission system fibers must be communicated to the relevant regional power committees.
Integration with Protection Systems
The guidelines outline provisions for integrating fiber optic terminal equipment for differential protection, particularly in high-voltage lines of 220 kilovolt and above.
Dedicated fibers are recommended for these applications to ensure reliability and compliance with IEC standards.
However, for lower-voltage lines, shared fibers via C37.94-compliant FOTE are permitted under specific conditions.
Database and Monitoring Mechanism
To improve transparency, the guidelines require the central and state transmission utilities to maintain a database tracking fiber utilization, distinguishing between grid operations, future allocations, and commercial leases.
This data will be periodically updated and displayed on official websites.
Implementation in New and Existing Projects
For new transmission projects, planners are advised to deploy OPGW with a minimum of 48 fibers, with 96-fibre installations recommended in urban areas to support additional connectivity needs.
When considering commercial leasing or network upgrades, existing ISTS and intra-state transmission system lines must align with these guidelines.
The guidelines are expected to bring uniformity and efficiency in managing power sector communication infrastructure.
The CEA will oversee implementation and compliance, with industry stakeholders required to align their fiber utilization strategies with the new framework.
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