Increasing energy demands have made access to reliable electricity more critical than ever. Rising to that demand, Central Rural Electric Cooperative’s team continues to seek innovative solutions to improve service reliability for members, and Centranet has played a big part. The fiber network has provided a robust foundation for modernizing the cooperative’s electrical grid. 

Leveraging Centranet’s high-speed fiber connection has allowed Central to connect downline Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs) to monitor the electrical grid in real time. 

“Connecting our downline reclosers (IEDs) has helped us identify outages more efficiently,” said Yuvaraj Kondaswamy, Central’s system planning engineer. “They help minimize outages, isolate faults and reduce restoration times.”

Before utilizing IEDs, linemen would identify outages by patrolling the electrical lines to identify faults.

These devices have unlocked a new level of real-time monitoring by pinpointing the origin of the outage in addition to preparing Central for a smart grid. 

The fiber connection provides high-speed, low-latency connectivity that supports these devices and allows access to automated outage detection, remote monitoring and control, and enhanced load management.

Centranet’s fiber connection has also allowed Central to connect with capacitor banks that are essential for voltage regulation and power factor correction, which ensures a more efficient and stable electrical system. It enables Central to detect potential failures before they result in costly outages and minimizes downtime for members.

“Utilizing these devices has saved downtime for our members,” Kondaswamy said. “With this information, there are times when we can preemptively focus on potential faults and can fix issues without members ever experiencing downtime or an outage.”

During the last 10 years, the average outage duration per member has dropped from 2.53 hours in 2014 to 1.37 hours in 2024. The number of average outages per member has dropped from 1.16 in 2014 to .77 in 2024.

Utilizing Centranet’s high-speed fiber represents a transformative step for Central members. This integration enhances reliability, improves operational efficiency and provides a strong foundation for future grid innovations. 

More than 90% of the downline reclosers (IEDs) and 10% of capacitor banks have been connected to Central’s SCADA system through our fiber system. 

While the demand for energy continues to rise, and Centranet continues to expand its fiber network, the relationship between broadband and electric infrastructure will play a crucial role in delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity to Central’s members.