On 7 March, the partners of the EasyDC-FOS European project convened for their second General Assembly Meeting. EasyDC-FOS is an innovation-driven initiative aimed at developing a new generation of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables with improved energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. The project also integrates a fibre optic-based intelligent monitoring system into a cybersecure digital environment to enable real-time diagnostics and ensure operational reliability.

The meeting provided an opportunity to assess the progress made across all work packages and to establish the next steps required to maintain coherence and alignment throughout the consortium. Key technical areas discussed included the development of the HVDC cable prototype, the advancement of fibre optic-based sensing technologies (such as DTS, DAS, vibration sensors, partial discharge analysers, and interrogators), the integration of these technologies within an Edge infrastructure, and the creation of the Stakeholder Advisory Board. Additionally, plans for upcoming dissemination activities were outlined.

During the session, Manuel Muñoz, Managing Director of LUMIKER and coordinator of the project, acknowledged the commitment and collaborative spirit of all partners. He underscored the importance of ensuring alignment in testing and validation efforts, particularly the need for close coordination between technology developers and Transmission System Operators (TSOs). Such collaboration is essential to guarantee the performance, reliability, and successful integration of the solutions developed within the EasyDC-FOS project.