Seeing the Future of Power Cable Monitoring
What if power cables could tell us how they are moving, bending and being stressed—in real time?
SEASNAKE+ is turning that vision into reality. The project has developed an innovative fibre-optic shape sensing system that can continuously monitor dynamic power cables used in offshore renewable energy and reconstruct their shape and movement in real time.
The breakthrough lies in the cable itself: existing optical fibres integrated into the medium-voltage cable are repurposed as smart sensors. By measuring strain along the cable, the system can reveal how it bends and moves, helping identify high-strain areas and potential bending hotspots before they become critical.
Laboratory testing has demonstrated the technology’s ability to track dynamic cable displacement under realistic cyclic loading conditions. Combined with a dedicated interrogator and live visualization tool, SEASNAKE+ provides a powerful new approach to continuous condition monitoring and future fatigue assessment.
The technology is now moving towards the next big test: real-world deployment in the harsh marine environment. Field trials will help address challenges such as long-term reliability, temperature effects and changing cable configurations—bringing us closer to smarter, safer and more resilient offshore power infrastructure.
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