Energy and data: the invisible grid behind the transition

Vast quantities of information course through the Italian electricity grid each and every second. Data on energy flows, control signals and measurements coming from the substations and plants scattered throughout the land: a continuous, invisible exchange that enables the real-time balancing of the electricity system. Today, the electricity grid transports more than just energy. In order to function, it also needs a digital network capable of supporting communication between infrastructure, control systems, and operators all over the nation.

This is where Terna's fiber optic network comes into play: 46,000 kilometres of infrastructure running through the national transmission grid, integrated with around 76,000 electricity lines and over 900 substations scattered throughout Italian territory. This technological backbone connects industrial areas, energy hubs and strategic infrastructure.

The backbone is based on high-capacity transmission technologies and architectures designed to guarantee operational continuity, rapid communications and resilience, even in complex scenarios. It’s a digital infrastructure that safely and reliably links electrical substations, control centres and strategic assets on the grid, ensuring the continuous flow of data and operating information.

In short, more renewables mean more data. The growing complexity of the energy system makes telecommunications an increasingly central element of grid management. The increase in non-programmable renewable sources, the spread of distributed generation, the expansion of storage systems and the evolution of consumption are all transforming the ways in which energy is produced, transported and used. In this context, the quantity of data to be gathered, processed and transmitted is constantly growing.

Weather forecasts, production levels, energy flows, storage systems and balancing mechanisms require a continuous flow of information between the field and the control centres. For this reason, the digitalisation of the grid has become an enabling factor in the energy transition.

Terna's fiber optic network supports the real-time transit of the information necessary for the functioning of the electricity system: remote control signals, grid automation, electrical protection and operating commands, in addition to monitoring data from lines and stations. The grid also supports diagnostics to identify, pinpoint and accelerate the resolution of faults or wear through OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) systems, widespread sensors, IoT platforms and increasingly advanced digital tools.

The growing integration of edge computing (processing data close to the assets and infrastructure being monitored) and digital twinning (the digital simulation of physical infrastructure) makes it possible to gather and process large quantities of data, enhancing the capacity to observe the grid, prevent anomalies and intervene with greater and greater speed and efficiency. The equilibrium of the electricity system — which must be maintained at all times — depends in part on the speed and reliability of this digital exchange.

Through its TLC infrastructure, Terna can gather and transmit the large quantities of information necessary to:

• monitor energy production in real time;
• safely integrate renewable sources;
• improve expected capacity;
• increase the resilience of the system;
• intervene more swiftly in the event of anomalies or faults.

The electricity grid of the future will be increasingly interconnected, automated and data-driven.

The electricity market also rests upon the network. In addition to supporting the technical operation of the grid, Terna’s TLC infrastructure plays a fundamental role in the  electricity market. In fact, the continuous exchange of data makes it possible to manage energy markets, the balancing of the system and dispatching services through the real-time processing of the measurements from the field, updated forecasts and operating signals necessary for the functioning of the Day-Ahead Market (DAM), the Intra-Day Market (IDM) and the balancing mechanisms.

In the context of the growing presence of renewable sources, storage systems and distributed resources, the speed, synchronisation and reliability of communications have become essential factors in guaranteeing the efficiency, security and transparency of the electricity market.

A strategic infrastructure for resilience and security. Terna’s telecommunications network has been designed to meet the criteria of high reliability and operational continuity, characteristics that are essential for an infrastructure that supports the operation of the national electricity system. Redundancy of connections, resilient architecture, and advanced cybersecurity systems make it possible to guarantee the continuity of communications, even in complex situations or in the case of critical events.

In fact, the security of telecommunications is tightly linked to the security of the electricity grid itself: protecting data and communication systems means contributing to the stability and resilience of an infrastructure of strategic importance to the nation. The possibility of using pre-existing infrastructure also paves the way for the development of new digital capacity while making the most of the assets present throughout the land and limiting the need for further infrastructural interventions.

Alongside the optical-fibre network, there is also growing integration with 5G networks and dedicated mobile solutions, used to increase the capacity to monitor and manage the national electricity grid even in highly distributed contexts with significant operational complexity. The adopted cybersecurity architecture adheres to advanced criteria for protecting critical infrastructure, in line with the latest national and European standards for digital security.

Terna’s digital backbone has been designed to guarantee operational continuity even in complex scenarios, thanks to distributed and redundant communication systems — i.e., systems offering alternative routes, so that the network can continue to function even in the event of anomalies or interruptions. Moreover, the infrastructure also incorporates advanced monitoring systems, the separation of operating grids and IT networks (OT/IT separation), and security-by-design criteria, which require that security be a built-in factor right from the design of the digital architecture.

24/7 operation by dedicated teams and the adoption of advanced systems for cyber protection and detection help to strengthen the resilience of the infrastructure of national strategic importance. In fact, the protection of data and communications is tightly linked to the security of the national electricity system itself.

From grid management to supporting the country’s digital transformation. Thanks to its extensive geographic spread and presence all along the main Italian energy and industrial backbones, Terna’s optical-fibre network now also represents a strategic platform to support the growing demand from operators, businesses and digital infrastructure for highly reliable connectivity.

Designed to handle large quantities of data with very high requirements in terms of operational continuity, resilience and low latency, the network actually offers transmission capacity which can be harnessed even above and beyond the needs strictly related to operating the electricity system.

So, through Terna Energy Solutions, the Group makes part of this infrastructure available through long-term usage rights over the optical fibre as well as related services, such as housing, operation and maintenance, while always prioritising the operational and security needs of the national electricity transmission grid.

The ability to use pre-existing infrastructure also helps to facilitate the development of connectivity and digital infrastructure through assets already present throughout the land, generating value at national level.