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Fall 2004 - Presentations

Check this page periodically to learn about the Presentations scheduled for the Spring meeting.

• Special Activities
• Opening Session
• Subcommittee A
• Subcommittee B
• Subcommittee C
• Subcommittee D
• Transnational Luncheon
• Educational Program

Please Note: This is a only a listing of the presentations and
UNLESS NOTED, DOES NOT IMPLY THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WILL BE PRESENTED.

• Special Activities
  • WG B1 - A revised draft of IEEE P48 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG B6 - A revised draft and figures of IEEE P1299 and a meeting agenda have been posted on the ICC Download site.
  • WG B10 - A revised draft of IEEE P1637 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG C7 - A revised draft of IEEE P1617 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG C17 -  A revised draft of IEEE P400.1 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG C19 -  A revised draft of IEEE P400.3 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG D3 - This meeting has been cancelled.
  • WG D5 - A revised draft of IEEE P1185 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG D6 will meet to discuss the Subcommittee D presentation, Development of an Environmental Qualification Standard for Fiber Optic Cabling Used in Nuclear Power Generating Stations. Mr Pirrong has been tasked by SC2 with providing an assessment of the need for such a standard, whether it belongs in IEEE 383 or should be stand alone and with identifying the basic attributes of such a standard.
  • WG D13 - A revised draft of IEEE P848 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
  • WG D15 - A revised draft of IEEE P1202 has been posted on the ICC Download site. Please print and bring your own copy to the meeting.
• Opening Session
  • On June 8, 2004 at the PES Technical Council meeting, the ICC was officially awarded the PES committee of the year award for 2002/2003. It was for leadership and technical accomplishments. The chair, vice chair, and past chair all receive plaques and all of the remaining subcommittee chairs and vice chairs receive certificates. The awards will be presented during the opening session on Nov. 1. Thanks to everyone in the ICC who worked on standards, working groups, guides, etc. that made this happen. It is a great honor for the entire ICC and we should all be proud.
• Subcommittee A - Cable Construction and Design
  • 2:00 - 2:15 - Subcommittee Business: Announcements
    Serge Pélissou, Hydro-Québec (IREQ) - Chair John Smith III, General Cable – Vice-Chair
  • 2:15 - 2:35 – Underground Cable Specification Advances and Installation Practices of the Largest Investor-Owned Utilities
    Joe Dudas, Consultant, Chris Fletcher, Duke Power
    Abstract: This paper discusses technical advancements in medium voltage (15-35kV) underground residential distribution (URD) power cable specifications and installation practices for the largest investor-owned utilities. The data was obtained from questionnaire responses from the largest utilities selected on the number of customers served. Special consideration was given to specification preferences for solid or filled conductors, insulation and conductor shield compounds, metallic shield type and jacket material and type. Utilities also provided key information on the number of cable miles installed each year; the voltage class and insulation thickness specified and the percentage of cable direct buried versus installed in duct. Meaningful data on cable replacement and cable rejuvenation practices was also furnished. The results provide practical information that will enable all electrical utilities to evaluate their medium voltage underground cable specifications and practices in comparison with those of the largest utilities in their industry.
  • 2:35 - 2:55 – The Outcome and Relevance of the EU ARTEMIS Project to the Long Term Ageing Performance of HV/EHV XLPE Cables
    Alfred Campus, Ulf Nilsson, Borealis AB
    Abstract: The purpose of the European Community sponsored ARTEMIS project (1998-2002) was to study the ageing performance of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) transmission cables. For this intend, two 90 kV cables were tested as models for EHV systems.
    • to assess the degree of degradation of cable materials aged for up to 10’000 hrs under combined electrical (up to 31.2 kV/mm) and thermal (up to 90°C) stresses
    • to develop a methodology to establish the degree of ageing and predict the expected remaining life time.

    A multitude of electrical, chemical and physical techniques have been used to characterize the cable insulation and its evolution over the ageing time and conditions. These were performed by the 15 members of the consortium *. In terms of outcome

    • model cable systems achieved extremely good endurance at high electrical stresses
    • chemical evaluation indicated no significant change during cable ageing not even under the most severe stress conditions
    • microscopic studies indicated that the ageing might have had an influence on the microvoid distribution.
    • as space charge accumulation is assumed to be a fundamental mechanism behind the proposed ageing model, extensive measurements were made which showed a trend of increase of space charge amount with ageing time and thermo-electric stress in particular the measurement of voltage threshold for space charge accumulation displayed a reduction with increased ageing voltage.

    Taken together, the outcome from the project proves a very low rate of degradation of the cable materials. No significant degradation was found to have taken place during the laboratory ageing in spite of the use of very high electric stress levels at high temperatures. This confirms the excellent reliability experienced with current XLPE materials designed for the production of HV / EHV cables. In spite of the project having not provided a definitive indication of the techniques that could be used to evaluate the life expectance, a software tool was developed to determine possible correlations between properties and ageing parameters (voltage, temperature and time) and determine the extent of degradation. This diagnostic tool, referred to as the Automated Diagnostic System (ADS) was designed as a general-purpose tool able to process any kind of data. (ARTEMIS CONSORTIUM : Alcatel CIT, Nexans Benelux and France, Pirelli Italy and France, Borealis AB, EDF, ELIA (BE), Laborelec (BE), Techimp (IT), University of Bologna, University of Leicester, University of Surrey, University Paul Sabatier (Toulouse), University of Montpellier).

  • 2:55 - 3:15 – Self-healing Polymer Structures
    Sarma Haridoss, Kriya Consulting
    Abstract: Research investigations on polymer structures that mend themselves have gained considerable interest recently for a wide variety of applications. Drawing the analogy from the biological healing process, solutions to self-repair of synthetic polymers have been proposed on several occasions and for different applications. Generating a self-healing mechanism in synthetic and engineering polymers is not so straightforward. However, examples to demonstrate the effectiveness of in-situ self-repair outside the laboratory do exist. This presentation will briefly review some of the self-healing polymer structures with some comments on insulation applications.
  • 3:15 - 3:30 – Coffee Break
  • 3:30 - 3:50 – The Importance of Quality Compounds for Long Life Cables and the Robustness of TR-XLPE Insulated Cables
    A. Mendelsohn, The Dow Chemical Company
    Abstract: While utilities in North America have long recognized the benefits of quality compounds in general, and of TR-XLPE insulation in particular, this is not yet the case in other parts of the world. A cable aging test program has been recently completed in China. Cables insulated with TR-XLPE, XLPE, and a local XLPE were aged using the AEIC AWTT protocol. The cable design was similar to the North American qualification cable, except that the neutral was a helical copper tape instead of wires. Rapid failures were observed in the aging test for the XLPE cables but not in the TR-XLPE cable. The cause was traced to sharp indentations into the insulation from the neutral tape edges during the cycling aged preconditioning step. The test was restarted with a modified preconditioning step using 90ْ C oven aging. The result of the test demonstrate the superiority of TR-XLPE insulated cables and the high tolerance of TR-XLPE insulated cables to defects that may exist in the cable.
  • 3:50 - 4:10 – The Manufacture of Medium Voltage Power Cables Using the Direct Peroxide Injection Process
    Paul Lorigan, EnerKem Marketing
    Abstract: This paper describes a process to make medium voltage power cables by injecting organic peroxide directly into the insulation extruder. The paper describes the history of the process in Europe and a detailed description of the process including the equipment, polymers and additives used. Peroxide distribution is analyzed in a medium voltage cable manufactured by this process.
  • 4:10 - 4:30 – Partial Discharge Requirement History
    Ed Walcott, General Cable Corporation
    Abstract: There has been much interest in field testing of older installed medium voltage cable, to determine how well they are aging. The use of partial discharge detection equipment has been used in the field to measure partial discharge at various voltage levels. When measuring partial discharge in the field on older cables, it is important to know that previously installed cables may have been shipped from the cable manufacturers with accepted levels of partial discharge by industry standards as recently as 17 years ago. The 5 pc maximum partial discharge at 200 volts/mil has not always been the industry standard. It is that history of partial discharge requirements that will be presented.
  • 4:30 - 4:50 – Design, Making, Installation and Testing of a Double 32 km Link in Belgium
    Pierre Mirebeau, Nexans
    Abstract: A 150kV 2000mm² 32km long double circuit link has recently been installed in Belgium. This presentation will review:
    • the cable system design, production, and quality assessment
    • the laying design, including magnetic field shielding and screen connection.
    • the commissioning, including after laying tests and magnetic field measurements.

    This link is now in service to secure power supply in the area extending between Brussels and Liège. It also feeds the high-speed train line between Brussels and the German border.

  • 4:50 - 5:10 - The Evolution of Cable Injection Technology
    Rick Stagi, UtilX Corp.
    Abstract: Silicone injection technology as a means of countering the premature aging of early solid dielectric cables has been used in the United States for nearly 18 years. Its viability as a cost-effective alternative to cable replacement has been demonstrated by the tremendous market growth it has experienced. During those 18 years the alkoxysilane phenylmethyldimethoxysilane (PMDMS) has been the primary fluid applied as a reliability-enhancing injection fluid, and is fundamental to the technologies functional and commercial success. As PMDMS has been applied to new cable applications over the years, it has been modified with additives, which either increased its functionality or addressed application-specific concerns. This process has been evolutionary rather than revolutionary, beginning with a very successful core material and making enhancements as applications dictated. This paper will discuss the functional characteristics of PMDMS that have led to its status as the unchallenged choice as a reliability-enhancing injection fluid. Also discussed will be the progressive development of the fluid’s composition, and how those changes increased its functionality or expanded its application. Finally, areas of proposed formulation enhancements will be discussed in light of observations made as the technology has been applied to international markets.
  • 5:10 - 5:30 - New Developments in Solid Dielectric Life Extension Technology
    Rich Brinton, Novinium
    Abstract: Twenty years have elapsed since the field introduction of the first solid dielectric enhancement technology. During those twenty years, this technology has proven itself as an important tool to enhance the reliability of aging infrastructure. Incremental improvements during those twenty years have aided in the widespread commercial acceptance of the technology on at least four continents. A brief history of these improvements, lessons learned, and the most significant remaining issues are outlined. A novel approach, which includes new installation methods and new materials to extend the life of power cables, is described. Experiments are described which demonstrate how the new approach addresses all of the shortcomings associated with the first generation technology.
  • 5:30 – 5:35 – Meeting Adjourn
    Serge Pélissou, John Smith III
• Subcommittee B - Accessories 
  • Subcommittee Business, Bob Gear, USI and Thomas Champion, NEETRAC
  • Condition Based Maintenance on MV Distribution Underground Cables in the SP PowerSystems Network
    Willem Boone and Nico van Schaik KEMA Nederland B.V. Paul Cunningham SP PowerSystems
    Abstract: This presentation will review a Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) pilot project on a distribution system (11kV PILC) in the UK (Scottish Power). The diagnostic method used (PDD), the selection criteria for the circuits to be tested and the criteria for action based on the results of testing will all be reviewed. Most of the defects found were in the accessories. Dissection appeared to be very useful to confirm results of testing. The utility concluded positively on this pilot project and CBM for power cable systems will be considered as an effective asset management tool.
  • Thermal Ratings of HV Cable Accessories
    Henk Geene, Pirelli Cables and Systems N.V.
    Abstract: In 2001 a CIGRE task force was launched with the scope to review whether or not existing HV cable test specifications would appropriately specify and verify critical thermal and thermo-mechanical characteristics of accessories. The work was completed in 2003. The results of this work will be presented, illustrated with examples taken from practical installations and laboratory tests.

• Subcommittee C - Cable Systems

  • 2:00 - 2:15 - Subcommittee Business: Announcements
    Nagu Srinivas, DTE Energy and Rachel Mosier, NEU

  • 2:15 - 2:35 - CityCable: An Innovative Cable System Design for Retrofitting of Pipe Cable Systems
    Dr. Volker Waschk of nkt cables of Cologne, Germany
    Abstract: Pipe Cable Systems, used in many countries around the world, have proven their reliability and longevity.  Pipe Cable Systems, whether they use gas pressure cables or high pressure fluid filled cables in Europe and the U.S., are in many cases the infrastructure backbones in urban underground transmission.  As many of these systems reach the end of their service life, an economical and convenient replacement is needed.  The CityCable concept meets these needs, minimizing the need for construction in congested corridors by using the existing pipe underground infrastructure, making use of a specially designed three core XLPE insulated CityCable.  The presentation provides detailed information about this combination of the advantages of both pipe and solid dielectric cable systems.

  • 2:35 - 2:55 - Barajas Airport 400 kV XLPE Project in Spain
    Ernesto Zaccone, Pirelli
    Abstract: Europe being a high density population area, soil availability for existing and new overhead high voltage lines is now reduced, and also for this reason a number of very important high voltage underground cable systems have been built in the recent past and many others are in progress. All these projects required a pre-qualification of the cable system as for the IEC standards requirements, following previously published CIGRE recommendations. One of the major projects executed by Pirelli is the undergrounding of an existing 400 kV overhead line in conjunction of the expansion of the Barajas airport of Madrid. This project has been completed in 2003 and a number of engineering solutions have been chosen for fitting the severe requirements. A particular cable installation method has been selected together with a forced ventilation system to ensure cables cooling during maximum load conditions. The intelligent ventilation system is managed trough Opto-Power™/RTTR (real time thermal rating) controlling the cable and the ambient temperature as well the efficiency of the ventilation system. The complete cable system has been commissioned by carrying out an AC variable frequency voltage test after installation and partial discharges measurement on all the installed accessories, joints and terminations.

  • 2:55 - 3:15 - Mitigating the Effects of Explosions in Underground Vaults
    William Z. Black, School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
    Abstract: Many U.S. utilities have experienced explosions in their underground transmission and distribution systems.  Many of these events occur as a result of electrical faults in aging and over-heated underground equipment and still more explosions occur when combustible gases find their way into underground vaults.  Both of these scenarios can result in significant property damage, and in rare cases personal injury can occur.  This presentation discusses an explosion software package that is able to assess the effectiveness of several simple and inexpensive safety devices that can minimize the dangers of explosions in underground electrical vaults.  The software is capable of determining the forces on a manhole cover as high-pressure air and gases are expelled from the vault.  This information is used to determine the feasibility of several devices designed to mitigate the effect of the explosion.  The potential designs focus on modifications to the vault and manhole covers that limit the motion of the cover and reduce the severity of the explosive forces.  The devices that are examined include bolts that fasten the cover to the vault, vented and lightweight manhole covers, gas-occupying devices and covers that are attached to the vault by tethers.  Used separately or in combination, these explosion-mitigating devices can help reduce the severity of explosions in electrical vaults and help reduce the danger to people in the vicinity of the event.

  • 3:15 - 3:30 - Coffee Break

  • 3:30 - 3:50 - 400 kV DC Cable Installation: Basslink Project Status
    Marcello Del Brenna, Pirelli
    Abstract: Basslink is a major Australian energy initiative that will allow the exchange of electricity between the island of Tasmania and the mainland of Australia. The Basslink HVDC interconnector consists of a monopolar metallic return scheme, with a rated DC voltage of 400 kV, a rated DC current of 1250 A and a rated continuous power of 500 MW defined at the DC terminal of the rectifier converter station. The length of the link is 295 km, which makes Basslink the longest submarine link ever made. As per today, the first leg (of a total of three) of the interconnection has been installed in the Bass Strait, and completion of the project is scheduled for Fall 2005. The presentation highlights some key aspects of the project, including:

    • Design considerations of DC cables
    • Cable system qualification
    • Installation and protection schemes

  • 3:50 - 4:10 - Thermal Monitoring and Rating of Underground Cable Systems
    Sagem: Luton M. H, Argaut P; Kinectrics, Inc.: Anders G. J., Braun J. M., Fujimoto N., Rizzetto S., Sensa: Downes J A
    Abstract: At the CIGRE Study Committee 21 (now B1, Underground Cables) meeting held in August 2000, it was agreed that a Working Group be established to review ‘Thermal Monitoring of Underground Cables’.  The report of this Working Group was published in CIGRE Technical Brochure No 247 "Optimization of Power Transmission Capability of Underground Cable Systems Using Thermal Monitoring" (April, 2004).  Some of the recommendations of this report of WG B1.02 are:

    • Always consider installing a distributed temperature measurement sensor (fiber) on any new cable installation at both distribution and transmission voltages.
    • Install the fiber as close as possible to the cable (within or outside the cable) and at least on one phase.
    • In order to avoid possible problems with the non uniformity of performance, use fiber from the same manufacturing batch.
    • Multimode fiber is preferred in order to provide better spatial resolution to recognize « hot spots ».  Double ended operation provides better accuracy and resilience.
    • It is important to calibrate the DTS system in order to verify actual temperatures.
    • In the case of application to old and existing circuits, hot spots can be established by careful examination of route records.  In some cases there is experience of using existing communication optical fiber cables.

    This presentation describes the test program and results obtained on a 400 kV full-size test installation, including various methods of cable laying, different kinds of temperature sensors, and the implementation of a real time monitoring and rating system.  Simulations of different operating scenarios (steady-state and transient overloading) were performed and the resulting ampacities were evaluated. The report addresses the different recommendations included in the report of Cigre WG B1.02 and gives some technical results and comments to support these recommendations.

  • 4:10 - 4:30 - Progress Energy Cable Replacement Cost Forecasting
    Tim Stankiewicz, Progress Energy
    Abstract: The presentation looks at managing the Underground cable asset at Progress Energy. It takes a statistical approach to cable replacement based upon the manufacturers expected life.

  • 4:30 - 4:50 - Experience on HV & MV Cable Diagnosis Through On-Field Partial Discharge Assessment
    Francesco Puletti, TechImp
    Abstract: An innovative system for partial discharge (PD) measurements which can acquire a large amount of PD pulses and process quantities associated to pulse frequency and time spectra, besides the usual pulse peak and phase, has been proposed recently. Striking features of this system are the possibility to separate pulses coming from different PD source typologies, thus rejecting noise with high efficiency and building up patterns relevant to each pulse source, as well as the use of artificial intelligence techniques, based on robust statistical quantities and fuzzy logic algorithms, which can provide an enhanced tool for PD phenomena identification and risk assessment. Results obtained applying this innovative system to on-field tests of HV and MV polymeric cable systems are presented and discussed, emphasizing the enhanced capability of the proposed measurement approach to detect and identify PD sources.

  • 4:50 - 5:10 - Transmission Power Cables On-site Partial Discharge Diagnosis
    Edward Gulski, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands; Paul P. Seitz, Seitz Instruments AG, Switzerland; Frank Petzold, SebaKMT, Germany
    Abstract: Condition assessment of HV assets is one of the issues of asset management introduction in power utility business.  In particular, due to their importance in the transmission network is the knowledge about the starting conditions during after-laying as well as the actual condition of HV power cable sections during operation after several years of service of great importance.  With regard to partial discharge (PD) processes in transmission power cables, there is a need for advanced, sensitive and economical attractive tools suitable for non-destructive PD diagnosis on-site.  In an international co-operation, based on utility experiences and laboratory investigations as obtained for PD diagnosis of distribution power cables using damped AC voltages, a complete new method of PD detection and localization for transmission power cables up to 250kV has been developed recently. In this contribution based on field experiences as obtained in The Netherlands for cable systems up to 150kV, the aspects of sensitive PD detection and location are presented and discussed.

  • 5:10 - 5:30 - Historical Partial Discharge Requirements and Field Partial Discharge Measurement of Older Cables
    Ed Walcott, General Cable Corporation
    Abstract: There has been much interest in field testing of older installed medium voltage cable, to determine how well they are aging. The use of partial discharge detection equipment has been used in the field to measure partial discharge at various voltage levels. When measuring partial discharge in the field on older cables, it is important to know that previously installed cables may have been shipped from the cable manufacturers with accepted levels of partial discharge by industry standards as recently as 17 years ago. The 5 pc maximum partial discharge at 200 volts/mil has not always been the industry standard. It is that history of partial discharge requirements that will be presented and what that means for partial discharge measurement of older cables in the field.
• Subcommittee D - Station, Control and Utilization Cables - Monday, 9:15 - Noon
  • 9:15 - 9:35 - Subcommittee Business
    Kent W. Brown, TVA and John Merando, Bechtel
  • 9:35 - 9:55 - Recent Developments in Low Smoke Zero Halogen Flame Retardant Polyolefin Compounds for Wire and Cable Applications
    Scott Wasserman and Jeff Cogen, Dow Wire and Cable
    Abstract: A combination of advanced materials and new halogen-free flame retardant (HFFR) technologies provides compounds with a unique balance of processability, flame retardance, and physical and mechanical properties. Recent developments in polyolefin resins, intumescent technology, and new synthetic and naturally occurring nanomaterials will be presented to illustrate improved HFFR wire and cable compound performance.
  • 9:55 - 10:15 - Cable Condition Monitoring at a DOE Facility
    Christine Hadden, Savannah River Site
    Abstract: The Savannah River Site in Aiken SC is owned by the Department of Energy and was built in the early 1950’s. The site’s original mission was to produce weapons grade nuclear material for the cold war era until the early 1990’s. Since these aged facilities were robustly built for long term radiological work, and have been continuously maintained and upgraded throughout the years, the use of existing facilities in lieu of new buildings is a favorable approach for environmental cleanup efforts and the storage of excess material until final disposition. In order to safely continue the use of these facilities, SRS is embarking on a program to cost-effectively manage its aging infrastructure concerns including power cable. This presentation will review the application of EPRI guidance for monitoring the condition of low voltage cable in 1950’s vintage DOE Facilities.
  • 10:15 - 10:30 - Coffee Break
  • 10:30 - 11:00 - Gel Sealed Motor Connection Kit for 5-8 kV Applications
    Rudy Bukovnik, Ph.D., Tyco Electronics / Energy Division, Fuquay Varina, NC, USA
    Abstract:  A new motor connection kit for 5 kV applications is being introduced. The new connection system combines silicone gel sealing with metal oxide stress control to provide a compact easily re-enterable 5 kV motor connection for both shielded and unshielded single core cable. This paper describes the critical design features and extensive testing of this new product.
  • 11:00 - 11:20 - Development of an Environmental Qualification Standard for Fiber Optic Cabling Used in Nuclear Power Generating Stations
    Jan Pirrong, CableLAN, Franklin, MA
    Abstract: The increased use of fiber optic cables in nuclear power plants has generated interest in a qualification standard for these cables. In the spring of 2004, a small ad hoc working group was created by IEEE's SC-2 to investigate the need for a standard and/or whether the standard should be a standalone or a subset of IEEE 383. The ad hoc group consisted of 9 members, including three from the ICC. This group concluded that an optical fiber cable standard was desirable. Furthermore, because optical fiber cables are uniquely different than electrical cables, the specific qualification parameters of IEEE 383 do not apply. Therefore, the recommendation was made to develop a separate standard. We would like to invite interested members of ICC to participate in this new standards effort.
  • 11:20 - 11:40 - VLF Diagnostic and Withstand Testing at TVA's Sequoyah Nuclear Plant
    Kent W. Brown, TVA, Chattanooga, TN
    Abstract: Safety related underground medium voltage cables at US nuclear plants typically constitute less than one-tenth of a percent of the installed circuits per unit. Though low in number, they frequently serve critical pumps and bring emergency power into the station. As US plants age, condition monitoring of such circuits becomes vital to maintaining reliable safe power. This presentation will review a two part program of VLF dissipation factor testing and hipot testing to evaluate aged XLPE insulated cables installed at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Sequoyah Nuclear Plant.
  • 11:40 - 12:00 - Industrial Cables - A Standards Update
    Austin Wetherell, UL (presented by Chris Durland, Tappan Wire and Cable)
    Abstract: This presentation will provide an update on recent revisions, both adopted and proposed, to the UL Standards covering Industrial, Commercial, and Special Purpose cables.
• Transnational Luncheon - Tuesday, 12:15 pm
  • The Business Climate on the Japanese Power Cable Industry
    Hajime Takahana, Senior Managing Director, VISCAS Corporation
    Abstract: The domestic demand for underground high-voltage cable has shrank drastically during this decade in Japan. All extra-high-voltage cable projects at 275kv and higher voltages were completed and future large projects are being planned.　Six major cable manufactures were merged into three companies in power cable field. The current and future climate for the power cable business in Japan and an introduction of the merged companies will be described in the presentation. Future strategies for the power cable business will be presented.
  • Contribution of the ARTEMIS Project to the Acceptance of HV / EHV XLPE Cable Technology
    Alfred Campus, Nigel Hampton & Ulf Nilsson; Borealis AB; Sweden
    Abstract: Throughout the world XLE has become the insulation system of choice for HV and EHV cable projects. A great deal of support for this technology came from the testing project at CESI and the large cable installations in Berlin & Copenhagen. The CESI tests confirmed that the cable represented the strongest part of the link and that the largest risk to the cable came from isolated stress raising contaminants. At this time it was recognized that the findings of these tests would be further strengthened by an investigation of the ageing, and then degradation, of the matrix insulation: without the effect of stress raisers. Consequently the Ageing and Reliability Testing and Monitoring of power cables: diagnosis for Insulation Systems (ARTEMIS) project was funded in 1998 by the European Union. A large and highly experienced consortium of 14 partners was put together to look at this problem.

    The project undertook an ambitious cable ageing programme which used HV cable designs with EHV materials to age at times and stresses considerable higher than those used thus far. These cables would be subjected to a range of diagnostic techniques to try and find “ageing markers”. These markers would then form part of a diagnostic system that we assist in following the ageing of cables and thus determine when degradation had occurred.

    The project was able to achieve its cable ageing programme and deploy the many techniques at its disposal. However within the cable ageing that was achieved it was not possible to find clear and un ambiguous ageing markers. Thus the inputs could not be defined for the diagnostic system. At this stage we can conclude that some of the diagnostic techniques that were used showed much more promise than others, that future studies should look at higher stress / time combinations and that continued focus is required to reduce the occurrence of contaminants that can raise the local electrical stress.

  • 400kV XLPE Insulated River Crossing in the Netherlands
    Henk Geene, Pirelli Cables and Systems N.V.
    Abstract: As part of the completion of the west ring of the 400kV grid in the Netherlands, an underground cable connection will be installed under the waterways “Nieuwe Waterweg” and “Calandkanaal”. The cable connection comprises a double circuit with in total 13.5km 1600mm² XPLE cable. During the presentation attention will be paid to the special features of this project: • Cable and accessories • Handling of long cable length • Horizontal drillings • Water circulation system for (temperature) peak shaving
  • 400 kV XLPE Insulated Cable Systems Recent Projects in Europe
    Dr. Volker Waschk, NKT Cables of Cologne, Germany
    Abstract: The early extra high voltage cable installations were solely performed with oil filled cables. These cable installations proved to be very reliable. But already in the eighties the development of 400 kV XLPE cable systems started and extensive field tests were in Germany and other countries. Since the nineties, more than 400 km of 400 kV XLPE insulated cables have been installed and commissioned in Europe in various locations. 400 kV XLPE insulated cables have proven to be a reliable means for the transmission of electrical energy in urban and rural environments. Recent installations in Italy and The Netherlands show the growing confidence in the reliability of 400 kV XLPE cable installations even with particular design and installation challenges.

  • 400 kV DC Cable Installation: Basslink Project Status
    Marcello Del Brenna, Pirelli
    Abstract: Basslink is a major Australian energy initiative that will allow the exchange of electricity between the island of Tasmania and the mainland of Australia. The Basslink HVDC interconnector consists of a monopolar metallic return scheme, with a rated DC voltage of 400 kV, a rated DC current of 1250 A and a rated continuous power of 500 MW defined at the DC terminal of the rectifier converter station. The length of the link is 295 km, which makes Basslink the longest submarine link ever made. As per today, the first leg (of a total of three) of the interconnection has been installed in the Bass Strait, and completion of the project is scheduled for Fall 2005. The presentation highlights some key aspects of the project, including:

    • Design considerations of DC cables
    • Cable system qualification
    • Installation and protection schemes
  • The In-service 400 kV Cable System of Eltra in Denmark and the Cost Ratio Underground/Overhead for the Three Different Sections
    Pierre Augaut, Sagem, France
• Educational Program - Statistical Analysis of UD Cable Failures. 

  Learn how electric utilities use statistical analysis of extruded medium voltage underground distribution cable failures to differentiate performance of various cable designs (HMWPE vs. XLPE vs. TR-XLPE, jacketed vs. unjacketed), to develop circuit reliability estimates and to make proactive cable replacement decisions. The fall 2004 Educational Program will focus on the statistical analysis of UD cable failures with presentations from cable manufacturers, suppliers, test laboratories and with a special emphasis on presentations from the electric utilities. Some presentations will review basic statistical theory relevant to analysis of cable failure data but the emphasis is on analysis of actual utility cable failure data. Attendees will receive 4 PD hours. 

     

  • Basic Statistical Analysis for the Utility Cable Industry
    Nigel Hampton, Borealis AB, Stenungsund, Sweden.
    Abstract: A dictionary often defines statistical analysis as a process where data from a small sample is used to derive information on the whole population. Once this information is in our hands it allows us to make predictions about the real world. However before we embark on a new journey into the real world we need to understand a few things:
    • the theoretical world is different from the real world
    • how good are our estimates
    • how good are our data
    • what can we predict and what can't we predict

    These and many other topics will be dealt with in much more detail by other contributors. In this portion I will introduce some of the many areas where statistics impact on the Wire and Cable Industry. The areas include

    • Where do statistics and their consequences turn up
    • Data collection / conditioning – the starting point
    • Statistical distributions
    • Weibull analysis – perhaps the most useful distribution for Wire and Cable
    • The important influence of the number of samples; bias and accuracy
    • The relationship of scale and scatter on real world estimates
    • The impact of size / length
    • How does what we measure (pass / fail, step vs ramp, numbers vs concentrations) effect our “predictions"
  • Time-Efficient Accelerated Cable Life Testing (ACLT) - Reduce the Time and Still Get Reliable Data
    J. T. Smith, III, General Cable Corporation.
    Abstract: Evaluation of insulation and semiconductive shielding materials for MV cables and cable designs on full size cables, is routinely carried out at several laboratories in North America (and internationally) using a protocol known as the Accelerated Cable Life Test (ACLT). The ACLT has been used in the MV cable industry for the last approximately 23 years, as originally reported by R. Lyle in 1981 in an IEEE paper, and as formalized in IEEE Guide P1407. ACLT in water-filled tanks is typically done at applied voltages that are 1.5-4X the cable's phase-to-ground rated voltage, in an effort to obtain reliable failure data in the shortest possible calendar time. Calendar times required to obtain failures of the entire small sample sets (n=12) of tree-retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TRXLPE) cable can be 2 - 4X (0.75 - 2 years) the calendar time required for non-TR crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) data sets (4 - 6 months), while using the same conventional conductor shield material (furnace carbon black, with relatively high sulfur and ionic content). Cables of XLPE and TRXLPE under ACLT with conductor shields having much lower ionic and sulfur content and improved surface smoothness (called high performance conductor shields), can require calendar times that are 1.5 - 2X (1 - 4 years) those of conventional shields to complete. There are statistically valid accelerated life test designs, protocols and techniques available that can be applied to ACLT to significantly shorten these test times. This presentation will demonstrate the use of these techniques, illustrating how 40 - 50% reductions in calendar test times can be achieved, while maintaining the ability to differentiate between new materials or new cable designs. These techniques (Sudden Death Testing, Test Truncation and smaller sample sets) will significantly shorten the calendar test times necessary to obtain reliable comparative life estimate data upon which to make commercial decisions about new materials or new cable designs.
  • CenterPoint Energy’s URD Medium Voltage Failure Rate History and Current Reliability Trend
    Michael L. Walker, CenterPoint Energy.
    Abstract: This presentation will provide failure data for the URD medium voltage cable that has been installed on CenterPoint Energy’s system since 1968. The data will show differences in performance as the type of cable construction was changed through the years as well as differences in performance related to operating voltage. Possible reasons for the differences in operating performance will be reviewed and corrective actions taken as a result of the increasing failure rate that CNP experienced during the 1970’s will be presented. In summary, a review of operational practices that have been put in place to maintain the current high level of reliability for medium voltage cable will be presented.
  • San Diego Gas & Electric Underground Cable Failure Data Base and Failure Rates
    Jon C. Erickson, San Diego Gas & Electric.
    Abstract: The presentation will discuss the cable failure database developed at SDG&E to document failures of extruded dielectric cables that began in 1963. The method used to collect the data will be discussed. The use of the cable failure data to develop cable failure rates will be discussed and examples of actual cable failure rates will be presented. Use of cable failure rates for electric circuit reliability analysis will be discussed. The use of cable failure rates to make proactive cable replacement decisions will be discussed.
  • Oklahoma Gas & Electric Underground Cable Failure Data Base and Failure Rates
    Dale T Metzinger, Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co.
    Abstract: The presentation will discuss the cable failure database and criteria for replacement developed at OG&E to document failures of extruded dielectric cables that began in 1992. A new method developed in 2000 to collect the data will be discussed. This system is a decision tool for crews. Failure rates will be discussed and examples of actual cable failure rates will be presented. Use of cable failure rates for electric circuit reliability analysis will be discussed.
  • Wisconsin Public Service Corporation’s URD Medium Voltage Cable Failure Rates and Why Failure Rates are Low
    Greg Stano, Wisconsin Public Service
    Abstract: The failure data for Wisconsin Public Service Corporation's URD Medium Voltage Cables installed since 1965 will be given. The overall failure rates have remained relatively low. Reasons for the low failure rates, including lab testing of incoming cable, will be reviewed. The results of working to maintain a reliable underground system have resulted in improvements to the cable manufacturing processes and to the cable industry in general.
  • Cable Failure Statistics and Analysis at TXU Electric Delivery Company
    Richie Harp, TXU Electric Delivery Company, and John T. Smith III, General Cable Company
    Abstract: The TXU Electric Delivery Company underground system consists of about 13,000 cable-miles of underground cable. Most of this cable is PILC, HMWPE, XLPE, and TRXLPE cable. Through mergers and consolidations over the past years, there have been several systems and databases used to monitor and track cable assets and failures of these cables. It becomes very difficult to locate and then to work with several somewhat massive tables at one time, but once these tables are linked properly, a fairly significant amount of analysis can be performed on this data. In more recent years, realizing the potential benefits, an effort has been made to systematically merge these systems together to be more usable by more people within the Company. This presentation briefly describes the data systems in place now and presents some of the analysis of this data that has been done. Using Weibull statistics, comparisons are made of failures of cables with HMWPE vs. XLPE vs. TRXLPE insulations. The comparisons are made by conductor size and considering whether the cables are jacketed or not. Life predictions are made for each category based on these statistics.
  • Analysis of Cable Reliability and Lifetime Expectancy
    Dr. Miroslav Begovic with an introduction by Rick Hartlein, NEETRAC (Georgia Tech).
    Abstract: The area of diagnostics and expected lifetime in cables has recently become one of the focal points of research interest at NEETRAC (Georgia Tech). The presentation will focus on prognostics with emphasis on the estimation of remaining life and failure rates in cables and the interrelationships between accuracy, precision and confidence. Two aspects of our work are included in the presentation:
    • A method is demonstrated that measures the accuracy and uncertainty of remaining life estimates using experimental data from accelerated aging tests. This method reduces the uncertainty of the forecast and ill-conditioning of the problem (caused by widely varying experimental lifetimes and their proportion to much longer lifetime estimate at normal operating conditions) by incorporating an approximate analytical model of the cable lifetime (governed by the physics of component failure.) Results from the example indicate that the estimates of the cable lifetimes are possible to be extracted (and their confidence ranges assessed) from such data. Moreover, using the methodology of probabilistic simulation, it is possible to assess the relative merits of various accelerating aging tests with respect to the end result (lifetime estimate) and predict the impact of not using some of them.
    • Based on the earlier work (W. Forrest) on estimation of the cumulative failure rates in homogeneous populations of cable of various ages, we propose a method for identification of the statistical parameters of failure rates based on a more general, nonlinear model. Moreover, we use that information for forecasting failure rates into a finite horizon in the future, and assess the need for replacement based on the desired failure rate scenario. By performing probabilistic (Monte Carlo) simulations, we propose to associate the forecasts of the necessary investment with the desired confidence of the final outcome (desired failure rates). Such approach has a very good application potential in development of asset management strategies for a variety of classes of aging equipment.

Biographical Sketches - Educational Program Presenters 

• Nigel Hampton, Borealis AB, Stenungsund, Sweden.
  Nigel Hampton is the Application Manager for Power Cables, based at the Marketing & Development Centre in Stenungsund Sweden. He studied Physics at The University of Bath UK, gaining BSc & PhD degrees. He also gained an MSc in Polymer Engineering from Manchester Polytechnic. Nigel worked for 13 years in the Research, Development and Quality Control functions of the cable makers BICC, BICC General & Pirelli. Throughout his career in the cable industry he has specialized in Power Cables from 11 to 400kV. He is the author of more than 20 technical papers concerning the research and engineering associated with practical Power Cable solutions.
• John T. Smith, III General Cable Corporation
  John Smith is Director of the Marshall Technology Center (MTC) of General Cable. The MTC provides cable testing and related services to the Utility, and Industrial & Specialty cable divisions of General Cable, while offering the same to external customers in the wire and cable industry. John obtained his Masters Degree in Chemistry and Mathematics from Prairie View A&M University in 1973. He has 7 years of material compounding experience with the Dow Chemical Co. and the BASF Corporation. John has 24+ years of experience in compounding, cable testing, cable failure analysis and statistical data analysis in the wire and cable industry in the field of underground Electrical Power Transmission and Distribution cables. He is an active member of the Insulated Conductors Committee (ICC) of the IEEE as Vice Chair of Subcommittee A, Cable Design and Construction. He is past chairman of ICC Discussion Group A6D (Accelerated Electrical Aging), and an active member of ICC WG A7W, WG A13W, DG A4D and DG A2D. He is a member of the CIGRE Study Committee on Statistical Analysis of Life Test Data. He has authored or co-authored several technical papers.
• Michael L. Walker (M’87)
  Born in Madill, Oklahoma on August 31, 1952. Received an Associate in Electronics from South Oklahoma City Junior College in 1977 and a BS in Electrical Power Engineering Technology from Oklahoma State University in 1979. From 1971 to 1974 he served in the U.S. Army as a Specialist in Ground Surveillance and Electronic Warfare. Since 1979 he has worked for Reliant Energy in Distribution engineering. His expertise is in the utilization of overhead and underground cables for distribution applications, underground equipment and electrical conductor hardware. Mr. Walker has authored and co-authored various technical papers related to power cables and their behavior on distribution systems. He is a voting member of the ICC and a Past Chairman, Chairman of ANSI C8, a member of the AEIC-Cable Engineering Committee and an industry advisor to EPRI on various cable projects.
• Jon Erickson
  Jon Erickson is a Senior Engineer in the Electric Transmission and Distribution Engineering Department at San Diego Gas & Electric. He received a BSEE degree from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 1978. He has worked at SDG&E for 26 years in a variety of positions. For the last 6 years he has worked in the Distribution Standards group and is responsible for underground medium and low voltage cable and connectors, overhead wire and connectors, arresters, and fault indicators. He is a member of the IEEE Power Engineering Society and the AEIC Cable Engineering Committee
• Dale T Metzinger
  Dale Metzinger graduated from Caldwell, KS high school in 1959, received an Associates Degree in Electronics from DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago, IL in 1963 and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State College, CA in 1971. Since 1971 he has worked for Oklahoma Gas and Electric in Distribution engineering and in Telecommunications. In 1994, he is responsible for all underground distribution construction standards and specifications for cable, connectors, switchgear and other related components. He is a member of the IEEE/PES, ICC, a voting member of ANSI C8, and the Vice-Chairman of the AEIC-Cable Engineering Committee. An additional responsibility as of this year (2004) besides cable systems is overhead distribution reliability.

• Greg Stano
  Greg Stano is a Senior Distribution Standards Engineer at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation. He has a B.Sc. in Electrical Technology from Purdue University. He has worked at Wisconsin Public Service Corporation for 23 years. During that time, he has held various positions as a field engineer, distribution planning engineer, and standards engineer. Since 1992, he has been responsible for the underground equipment standards, including cable, separable connectors, transformers, and switchgear. He is an ICC voting member and an AEIC Cable Engineering Committee member.

• Richie Harp
  Richie Harp received his BSEE degree from Texas Tech University in 1977. After graduation, he joined Texas Power & Light Company in Sherman, TX and has worked in various groups within the company through the present time. More recently, he has been the cable standards engineer and is currently a Distribution System Engineer for Underground Standards in the Distribution Standards group of TXU Electric Delivery Company located in Fort Worth, TX. He has authored and made presentations on several technical papers. He is a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas. He is a Voting Member of the ICC, an industry advisor on several projects for EPRI, chairman of the EPRI ECTN Technical Committee, and is a technical advisor for several NEETRAC projects. He is on the AEIC Cable Engineering Committee and Chairman of the AEIC-CEC Task Group 10-1.
• Dr. Miroslav Begovic
  Dr. Miroslav Begovic received his B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in Electrical Engineering, from Belgrade University, Yugoslavia. He received the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1989 and joined the faculty of the School of Electrical Engineering at Georgia Tech. His studies focused on analysis, monitoring, and control of voltage stability in electrical power systems. His research is concentrated on real-time monitoring systems for control of power system dynamics, protective relaying, distribution network operation, and distributed resources in energy systems. He was actively involved in the design and construction of the 340 kW photovoltaic system on the roof of the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, which was the largest roof-mounted PV system in the world at the time of its construction in 1996. Professor Begovic consults with industry in the areas of wide area protection and distribution system operation. He is an audiophile, music lover, and amateur photographer.

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