66kV Connectors, Cables & Junctions Boxes – An Interview With Nexans

Published 07 Mar 2014

Nexans Euromold | Medium & High Voltage Cable Connectors

66kV Connectors

Nexans Euromold

An interview with Stefaan Mensaert (Product Line Manager Renewables at Nexans Cables) speaking about 66kV cabling technology in particular 66kV inter-array cables that were recently supplied by Nexans to Blyth Offshore Wind Farm.

What are your major tasks and responsibilities in the company? And what projects are you developing around the 66kV inter array cable technology?

I am continuously monitoring the developments and future needs in the Renewable Energy market segment regarding power connection systems and Nexans has engaged itself to offer a complete solution for the upcoming 66kV cable demand in the offshore wind power market. Besides the 66kV XLPE insulated submarine cable, a complete set of 66kV power cable accessories, based on the outer cone technology have been developed and successfully tested. Being also an active member of the steering committee of the Belgian innovation cluster for offshore energy and Nexans as a global company active in cabling and power accessories, strengthens this position.

What is the major challenge that Nexans, as an experienced cable manufacturer, had to overcome in order to deliver the 66kV XLPE insulated submarine cable and the accessories, junction boxes and connectors?

From the interviews with the main developers in this market it became clear that flexibility of installation, compactness and ease of testing are the major concerns when it comes to connections of the 66kV turbines. Therefore the use of outer cone technology based on an open standardized Interface F Bushing as defined in the standard EN50181 and EN50182 was from the beginning well appreciated and adopted by the different players in the supply chain – this includes both 66kV transformer and switchgear manufacturers. In addition, specific cost effective solutions based on the same outer cone connector system have been worked out to allow easy installation in between inter array and tower cables within a 66kV junction box.

What kind of tests have you executed on your designed junction boxes and high voltage cable connectors to ensure the industry, quality and high performance of your 66kV cabling technology?

All the accessories offered in the 72.kV range from Nexans have gone through an extensive qualification and type testing process according to the IEC60840. For the OEM business, separate additional testing has been performed to meet specific requests, exceeding the values of the IEC60840 – this includes 72.5kV cable joints.

Nexans is to supply the 66kV inter-array cable to the Blyth project in the UK. The industry believes that this new cabling capacity and technology will help to further decrease the cost of wind energy. As an expert in the wind energy industry, what do you think about this statement?

Although initially there was some hesitation to adopt this 66kV voltage level, thanks to the fast reaction of the complete supply chain (cable, switchgear, transformers, etc..) Nexans has proved to be able to deliver the needed building blocks to make the transition to the 66kV level. Developers finally are convinced that this will help reduce the cost significantly of the future wind parks to be developed. Proof of that are the recent announcements of new parks at substantially lower or even zero bid subsidy per MWh.

Blyth Offshore Windfarm

Nexans as developer of junction boxes and connectors. Will you be responsible or take part in the testing of the 66 kVinter-array cabling once is deployed? If so, what kind of test will you be performing to ensure good connection between components and reduce losses?

Not applicable for us as cable accessory supplier – this would be part of cable layer/supplier scope.

Where do you think the future lies for the offshore wind energy 66kV inter-array cabling?

Although it will bring new specific challenges regarding dynamics of the applied cable systems, the ongoing development of floating offshore wind, will require also 66kV to be able to deploy commercial parks in the future. A further optimization of interconnection systems of the 66kV turbines, taking into account more specific maintenance and repair strategy will also become a challenge. To overcome these challenges new initiatives are taken up by different organisations, including Carbon Trust, who was also sponsoring the development of the 66kV from the early stage.

Blyth Offshore Wind farm Project

Gravity-based foundations being constructed on the River Tyne Credit EDF Energy Renewables

The first turbine foundation of an eagerly-anticipated wind farm development off the coast of Blyth made its journey up the River Tyne on the 11th July 2017, a notable milestone for the project.

EDF Energy Renewables is currently building the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Wind Farm after taking over responsibility for the scheme from Narec (now ORE Catapult) in October 2014.

The project will see five wind turbines with a total generating capacity of 41.5MW installed around 6.5km off the coast of Blyth. Once operational, they will generate enough low carbon electricity to power around 34,000 homes.*

Each foundation was floated into position off the coast of Blyth and submerged onto the seabed, and further ballasted to provide the structures that act as the foundations for the turbines.

The five Gravity Based Foundations for the Blyth Offshore Demonstrator Project are in place and the next phase is underway

All the foundations for the wind farm off the coast of Blyth are now in place. Around 11 kilometres of buried 66kV offshore cables will connect the individual turbines and bring the electricity onshore, where a further 1.5 kilometre of onshore cable will link directly to a new substation built on part of the site of the former Blyth power station.

Further 66kV Reading

• 66kV Cable Joints – A Failure Investigation & Conclusions
• 66kV Cable Jointer Training – A Question Of Competency Not Familiarisation

Thorne & Derrick

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