MONITORING SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING A CONDITION OF AN ELECTRICAL GRID

In general, a monitoring system includes one or more nodes that are capacitively coupled to a cable of a multiphase electric power line. In some examples, a node includes a coupling layer disposed over a jacket layer of the cable and capacitively coupled to a shield layer of the cable. In some examples, a node may include a first coupling layer capacitively coupled to a first cable, and a second coupling layer capacitively coupled to a second cable, such that the node is differentially coupled to the cable pair to generate a differential data signal and to perform at least one of: sensing a native signal within the cable pair; injecting an intentional signal into the cable pair; receiving an intentional signal from within the cable pair; or providing a channel characterization.