What Type of OPGW Cable is Best For You?

For more than 30 years, AFL has been designing and manufacturing OPGW, and we’re proud to have been a pioneer in this field. There are various types of fiber optic cable that may be used in your telecommunications networks. 

Overview of OPGW

OPGW takes advantage of a utility’s transmission right of way to transmit large amounts of data. It’s installed in the top-most, shield wire position of a power transmission structure.  It serves two purposes. First, it protects the phase conductors and electrical infrastructure by grounding lightning strikes and fault currents. Second, it carries optical signals which can be used for relaying & protection, SCADA, and other voice, video, and data applications.
 
There are various styles of OPGW available to a power utility. Each OPGW style varies in its maximum fiber count, how the optical fibers are packaged, weight, rated breaking strength, and fault current rating. So, when deciding upon an OPGW style that’s best for you, it’s important to coordinate between all of the utility stakeholders.

Which OPGW Cable Fits Your Needs?

AlumaCore OPGW comes in two types, Tight Structure and Loose Tube.  The optical fibers are protected in a tight structure optical unit or in a loose, gel-filled plastic buffer tube. This dielectric core is cabled inside of a protective aluminum pipe, with wire stranding surrounding the pipe.  AFL offers AlumaCore designs up to 144 fibers.
 
Stranded Stainless OPGW designs help power utilities maximize the fiber counts of their OPGW.  Up to 432 fibers can be built into a Stranded Stainless Steel OPGW. AFL offers several varieties of Stranded Stainless Steel designs including HexaCore, with 6 first layer positions, PentaCore, and TriCore.
 
CentraCore features the high fiber density available with a stainless steel tube combined with the robust design of an aluminum pipe component. CentraCore can carry up to 96 fibers, and it offers a compact and lightweight design balanced with a reasonable amount of electrical and mechanical properties.

AFL has the Solution!

Check out the video "AFL Optical Ground Wire (OPGW)" to learn more about Optical Ground Wire, its applications, and which type of OPGW might be best for you. For more dedicated resources, visit the OPGW resource stream.