Although substantial studies have been performed on overhead line and cable, there is far fewer studies on the potential risk posed to interfaces within cable joints for high voltage (HV) cable systems.  There are significant cost and time associated with any cable repair, with the situation likely to worsen with an increasing number of cable installations and an ageing fleet of cable assets. The availability of a ‘Universal Joint’ would enable a package to be made available for a speedy cable repair solution that can promptly re-establish service in the event of a cable fault, this emergency return to service solution would greatly improve resilience of a fast-changing electricity infrastructure.  

Benefits

As HV cable assets age there is increased outage risks and impacts to network resilience. It is predicted that 50% of our 275kV and 400kV cables will be subject to constraints in the future. Developing a universal repair approach that will reduce the cable repair time substantially will enable resilience for a net zero network and also reduce constraints. Currently less than 30 400kV jointers in the UK are certified and possess the skills to complete these type of cable repairs. A significant number of this workforce will disappear due to retirement. This universal approach will streamline the training process and further support network resilience. In addition, a £125k per annum saving on cable spares will be realised if this product is implemented.