Synaptec Rolls Out Monitoring Tech to Tackle High-Voltage Cable Faults

Synaptec has launched Greenlight, a monitoring solution designed specifically to address high-voltage cable failures, stemming from faults in cable joints and terminations.

Greenlight provides continuous, automated visibility of all joints and terminations in a cable network, delivering early warnings of emerging faults before they become failures.

Designed for offshore wind farms and high-voltage power grids, it replaces manual inspection and reactive maintenance with a smarter, safer, and far more cost-effective approach to asset management.

The system is based on Synaptec’s patented Distributed Electrical Sensing (DES) technology, which uses fully passive sensors that require no power supply, no data networks, and no ongoing maintenance.

According to Synpatec, a single high-voltage cable fault in transmission networks and offshore wind developments can cost up to $1.3 million (£1million) per day in lost revenue.

The vast majority of these failures, almost 70%, originate not in the cables themselves, but in their joints and terminations, the company claims.

These critical components are often out of sight and beyond the reach of conventional monitoring techniques, leaving operators vulnerable to sudden and costly outages.

“Greenlight gives operators control over the most unpredictable and expensive aspect of offshore cable operations and maintenance.

“It’s a system designed not just to collect data, but to deliver clear, early, and location- specific insight that finds the early warning signs of failure,” said Steven Blair, who is Vice President of Applications at Synaptec.

The first commercial Greenlight installations have already been deployed with offshore wind operators and transmission systems internationally. There are plans for further large-scale installations throughout 2025.