Real-time thermal monitoring of high-voltage HV power cables is being positioned as a practical way to unlock additional transmission capacity in renewable-heavy grids, according to technical findings presented at the CIGRE Southern Africa Regional Conference in Pretoria in October 2025.
Speaking during a data-driven power grids session, Athabile Lukhele of CBI-electric: African Cables said the integration of distributed temperature sensing DTS with real-time thermal rating RTTR systems could allow utilities to safely increase the usable capacity of existing HV cable assets by between 10 and 30 under favourable operating conditions.
The discussion comes as transmission constraints increasingly limit new renewable energy connections, placing pressure on grid operators to maximise existing infrastructure while maintaining system reliability.
