——A newly installed 20-kilometer optical cable now provides an “anti-icing layer” for the 750-kilovolt Nacheng Line
URUMQI, China, Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — On August 28, as the Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) curve of the final fiber core stabilized at zero, State Grid Xinjiang Information & Communication Company, in cooperation with Xinjiang Power Transmission and Transformation Limited Company, successfully completed the ice damage mitigation project for the 20-kilometer OPGW optical cable on the first and second circuits of the 750-kilovolt Kanas to Tacheng Substation line. Throughout the renovation, all communication-related production control services remained uninterrupted, with no alarms triggered, thereby enhancing grid reliability for the high-load winter and spring seasons.
On December 7, 2024, the Nacheng Line experienced a trip due to ice-induced conductor jump, which temporarily disrupted the transmission of renewable energy from Altay Prefecture. The remediation project utilized the end-of-summer maintenance window to remove the existing optical cables from two ice-prone sections 199#–241#—and replace them with 20 kilometers of new OPGW optical cables mounted on dedicated poles. This significantly improved the line’s resistance to ice accumulation. The construction spanned multiple “three-crossing” zones, including the “Kua” Expressway and the 220-kilovolt Nafeng Line, resulting in a total optical cable interruption of 10 days. Prior to the operation, the communications team adopted a three-tier planning process—team drafting, professional review, and leadership approval—to develop a comprehensive “Major Maintenance Plan.” During the renovation, a “primary maintenance and secondary backup” strategy was implemented, with phased planning for optical path detours and critical service channel transitions. On-site OTDR tests were conducted three times, confirming consistent core attenuation and bit error rate before and after the operation, ensuring that all production control services remained “zero-perceived.”
Young technician Abudukeyumu stated, “This optical cable renovation presented high technical complexity and broad operational impact. We strictly followed standardized operation procedures and completed the task two hours ahead of schedule.”
Looking ahead, the company will institutionalize the experience gained from the “dual-line mutual backup and rotational treatment” approach, develop standardized operation guidelines, and continue implementing “zero-perception” governance for similar ice-related risks, thereby fully supporting the digital and intelligent operation of the Xinjiang power grid.
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