OREANDA-NEWS. February 2, 2012. IDGC of Centre is building a single data network based on fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL). Currently, the Company based on fiber-optic communication lines arranges communication channels from several megabits to several gigabits per second.

The creation of its own single universal communication network based on fiber optic will allow reliably and with high speed to transmit large volume of information necessary for safe operation and development of remote control systems, supervisory control and technological communications, an automated information-measuring systems for commercial electricity metering, as well as widely to develop new services: video surveillance at electric power facilities, information and reference systems and services within the Company. All of this improves the quality of operational management of electric grid facilities, and allows power engineers to get instant information about technological failures in the electric grid.

New fiber-optic communication lines are being built in close cooperation with leading telecommunications operators. Joint construction of FOCL is mutually beneficial and can significantly reduce costs and provides an opportunity not only to provide power facilities of IDGC of Centre with modern reliable data transmission channels, but also to create an infrastructure that enables operators to deliver quality services to the population.

The pace of construction of the fiber-optic communication lines is quite high: in 2011 more than 250 km of FOCL were built. The yearly average increase in the length of the fiber optic lines is about 10%. The construction of these lines is carried out by suspension of a self-supporting cable to power line poles, but in some cases, a fiber-optic cable is built in the ground wire. At short distance sections IDGC of Centre lays the cable in the ground.

“The new fiber-optic lines are being built mainly in areas with poor infrastructure. This construction is the investment in the future as the technology limit of the speed of data transmission via fiber-optic cables has not yet been reached, and the speed increase is due to the modernization of the equipment that is constantly being upgraded, — informed IT Director — Head of IT Department of IDGC of Centre Andrey Dudin. — In the short term we are to move from the construction of individual fiber-optic lines to their meshing, which will create the necessary infrastructure for the organization of modern universal digital communication networks in branch offices. In the future we plan to begin the meshing of the branch networks into one company network”.