TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 SCOPE

2.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

3.0 XLPE AND LPOF CABLE HANDLING DURING INSTALLATION

4.0 CABLE PULLING

5.0 OIL FEED SUPPLIES

6.0 LAYING OF CABLES

TCSP10406R0/AAG Date of Approval: February 14, 2007 PAGE NO. 2 OF 20

TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

LIST OF DRAWINGS

06-01 Drum Handling Caution

06-02 Rolling Direction of Drum

06-03 Laying of Cable

06-04 Typical Laying of Cables

06-05 Typical Installation - Cable Pulling Procedure

06-06 Exchange of Pressure Tanks

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

1.0 SCOPE

The purpose of this standard is to describe the techniques and procedure for installation of
XLPE and LPOF cables in the system of Transmission Buisness Unit (TBU) of Saudi
Electricity Company (SEC), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

2.0 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

2.1 An overall project schedule shall be developed to include the sequence of

installation, mobilization of work force and equipment, placement of cable drums,
required pulling equipment and tools and procedure for pulling cables.

2.2. All equipment required for proper installation shall be certified as operational and
strategically placed to avoid interruption of the installation process.

2.3 Prior to commencing the cable pull, all cable drums shall be set in place and all
necessary equipment, tools and hardware set up to start the cable pull.

Cable pulling shall not be started if it appears that climatic conditions will deteriorate
and cause the cable pulling sequence to be interrupted or delayed.

2.4 Safety Precautions

2.4.1 Barricades, warning signs and warning lights shall be provided to comply
with the requirements of the municipality and traffic police. Warning signs
both in Arabic and English, shall be displayed to caution pedestrians and
traffic. Warning list and signs shall be provided along the trench on both
sides. Steel plates or wooden planks shall be provided across the trench at
entrances to residences.

Warning signs of minimum (100 x 60 cms) size shall be displayed at

approximately every 50 meters length along the trench and wherever
practical the barricades shall be located on both sides of the trench edges and
at one (1) meter from the nearest trench edge and in a continuous manner. In
addition, the requirements of SEC Construction Safety Manual and SEC
Accident Prevention Manual shall also be followed.

2.5 Cable storage

2.5.1 Cables can be seriously damaged if proper care is not exercised in its storage
in warehouse or contractors’ yards. Following factors shall be considered for
cable storage:

a. Cable drums shall be stored on firm and flat surfaces only so that
flanges of the drum do not sink in the ground.

b. Water shall not accumulate at the storage location.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

c. Storage location shall be away from any ongoing construction,

chemical or petroleum sources, open fires, heat sources or heavy
vibration areas.

d. Cable drums shall be supported on flanges only. Drums shall never

be kept flat.

j. Loose cable coils shall be stored on wooden pallets. Coiled cable

shall be properly tied with rope or wire at four (4) or more points
round the coil. The coil radius shall not be less than the minimum
bending radius of the cable.

f. During storage, cable ends must remain capped with appropriate

heatshrink caps to prevent moisture from entering the cable.

3.0 XLPE AND LPOF CABLE HANDLING DURING INSTALLATION

3.1 The trenches and ducts into which the cable is to be installed must be clean and free
of projections. Stones, sharp edges, etc. that may damage the jacket either during the
installing operation or after the cable is placed in its final position.

3.2 Locating the Cable Drum

3.2.1 All part of the cable shall be maintained under a positive oil pressure because
LPOF cables undergoes changes of hydraulic pressure due to differences in
elevation.

The route profile shall be verified and studied before deciding at which end
of the cable route to place the drum.

3.2.2 A flat profile with differences in elevation not exceeding the maximum oil
pressure of the cable drum oil reservoir will normally present little problem.

On a hilly route, the difference in elevation approaches or exceeds the

maximum oil pressure of the cable reel oil reservoir.

To avoid damage to the reservoir and prevent negative pressure conditions

within the cable, the drum must be placed at the higher end of the cable route.
However, consideration shall be given to bends in the route before deciding
the direction of pulling.

3.2.3 To avoid excessive mechanical sidewall pressure on the cable as it is pulled

around severe bends in ducts or on rollers, the cable pulling direction shall be
arranged if possible such that these bends are negotiated at the start of the
pull rather than at the end.

3.2.4 A convenient approximation for calculating static oil pressure is to allow

9kPa pressure for every meter of elevation.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

3.2.5 Where more than one cable section is involved, the sequence of cable pulling
may require some study. Once a cable has been pulled before the end is
removed from its cable drum, a temporary oil supply is required either from
an oil reservoir or by cross-connection with an adjacent cable section.

Prior to commencing the work, therefore, it is necessary to take into account

secure locations for temporary oil feed points, cross-connection of oil feeds
between cable sections, the jointing sequence and elevation differences as
they affect the static pressure of oil.

4.0 CABLE PULLING

4.1 Prior to cable pulling into ducts, the duct must be cleaned with suitable brushes and
swabs followed by a mandrel test. A 300mm long wooden mandrel having a
diameter 20% less than the inside diameter of the duct shall be pulled through each
duct run. The mandrel must pass through freely and upon leaving the duct shall not
show evidence of scoring. To prevent injury to the cable by scraping on the manhole
frame or at the duct opening or in passing over other cables, a suitable flexible
feeding tube shall be used.

4.2 Before pulling cable into open trenches, the trench shall be graded and compacted
with a minimum of 150mm of the specified backfill material. The compacted
backfill materials shall be smooth and free of stones and projections which might
damage the cable. If the cable is to be pulled into a trench inside the substation, the
trench bottom slab shall be made of reinforced concrete.

An adequate number of cable rollers shall be placed in the trench, spaced at intervals
of 1.5 to 2 meters depending on the stiffness of the cable, sufficient to prevent the
cable dragging on the ground between rollers. Where the cable passes around bends,
rollers must be arranged to provide smooth passage and maintain correct installation
bending radii.

4.3 The cable drum is normally set up with the leading end of the cable coming from the
top of the drum. A tendency for turns of cable to become loose and unmanageable
results from pulling the cable from the bottom of the drum. A ramp of two or more
long rollers will assist the cable from the top of the drum into the trench or manhole.
Care must be taken so that minimum installation bending radii are not exceeded
when setting up the rollers leading the cable into the trench or manhole.

Several methods of cable pulling may be used:

a. Hand pulling
b. Direct wind line pulling
c. Carrier wind line or “Bond Pulling”
d. Motorized rollers and puller drives

The selected method will depend on manpower and equipment available and upon
other considerations of pulling tension, sidewall pressure, route configuration and
cable characteristics.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

4.4 Where direct wind line pulling is used, the cable end shall be fitted with a properly
designed pulling eye which transfers the winch line tension to the cable conductor.
Cable stockings or Kellems grips must not be used.

A dynamometer fitted to the cable winch is required so that the pulling tension on
the cable may be checked and that safe pulling tensions are not exceeded. To reduce
tension when pulling cable into ducts, a suitable lubricant shall be applied to the
cable. A recommended lubricant is 80% glycerin and 20% water by weight with a
thickening agent added of 1½% to 2½% hydroxyethyl-cellulose. The lubricant
recommended by the cable manufacturer can be used.

For convenience and cleanliness in splicing, the first and last 1.5m of the cable shall
not be lubricated.

5.0 OIL FEED SUPPLIES

Before completing the pulling-in operation and removing the cable end from the drum, a
temporary oil feed must be connected to the leading end of the cable. A source of degassed
cable oil, either a reservoir or an adjacent cable, must be ready and equipped with a suitable
length of treated and filled copper tubing.

The connection is made to the flared fitting on the end of the cable. Ensure that oil is
flowing from both cable and oil source while making the connection to avoid the ingress of
air. Once this connection has been made, the cable drum reservoir may be shutoff and the
cable removed from the drum.

If there is an excess of cable and it has to be cut and capped, this may only be done with the
cable end elevated to form a ‘U’ or oil trap below the point of cutting and with a positive
flow of oil applied to the remote end of the cable.

In all the operations of oil-filled cable installation, cable pulling, connection and
disconnection of oil supplies, cutting and capping, jointing, terminating, etc., the following
points must be observed:

5.1 No parts of the cable system shall be left without a positive oil pressure.

5.2 A source of pressurized degassed cable oil must be available at all times.

5.3 Consideration must be given to static hydraulic pressures when selecting the pressure
of the oil supply to be applied for temporary oil feeds.

5.4 All connectors must be made with a positive oil flow from both ends to be
connected.

5.5 After cutting and capping cable ends and after disconnecting any oil feed line, a
flush of oil shall be made through the fitting to ensure any trapped air is flushed out.

5.6 All oil feed points and accessible connections shall be secured from unauthorized
tampering or vandalism.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

6.0 LAYING OF CABLES

The laying shall be carried out in the following order:

6.1 Preparatory work for laying

After the excavation of cable trench, the following works shall be done:

6.1.1 Pump out the water from the cable trench, if necessary
6.1.2 Remove any obstacles out of the trench
6.1.3 Prepare the laying tools, i.e. drum jacks, shaft tension meter and others stated
in Figure 06-02 and 06-03
6.1.4 Set the cable rollers with spaces of about 1.5m

6.2 Cable Unreeling

Cable drum lagging shall be carefully removed. Cable can be unreeled from cable
drum mounted on the transporting trailer or an axle supported by jacks. Unreeling of
cable must be done so that the cable is reeled off from top of the drum. The drum
shall be turned by hand to reduce tension in the cable. The drum shall be rotated in a
direction opposite to the direction of the arrow marked on the drum. (Refer Figure
06-02).

6.3 Laying of Cable

6.3.1 It is very important that the cable not be bent to a radius too small nor be
subjected to abnormal tension. Refer to TES-P-104.05 for minimum bending
radius.

In being ran out, it shall be laid carefully so as not to be dropped on the

ground. Bends of the cable must not be straightened out by standing and
jumping on the cable.

All handling of the cable shall be done smoothly and steadily without any
jerking.

The next preliminary steps shall be taken:

a. Setting of Cable Drum Jacks: The drum shall be raised about 25cm
by adjusting the jacks to gain the same level.

b. Removal of Battens of Drums: The battens are to be taken off one by

one by rotating the drum, taking care not to damage the cable.
Battens are to be removed only just before the actual time of pulling.

c. Fastening of Leading Wire: The leading wire rope is to be fastened to

the pulling eye with clevises and through the swivel. The cable is
then to be pulled and introduced into the trench by leading wire.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

d. Setting of Winch: A winch is to be set on the opposite side of the

section and wire is to be wound around it.

e. Preparation of Communication Set: A means of audio

communication between the drum side and the winch side shall be
provided, i.e. walkie-talkie portable telephone, etc.

6.3.2 Manual Cable Laying

If the trench is sufficiently wide, workers can carry the cable and lay it in the
trench or pull the cable over rollers in the trench by hand.

To carry the cable, the workmen are positioned three (3) to four (4) meters
apart in the trench so the weight shared per person does not exceed 30kg. If
the cable length to be laid is short and the cable coiled, the cable is uncoiled
outside the trench and carefully laid in the trench.

For pulling cable over rollers by hand, the workmen are positioned four (4) to
six (6) meters apart in straight sections of the trench and rollers with skid
plates are used at bends (minimum bending radius of the cable must be
maintained).

6.3.3 Temporary Support of Cable Ends

After the cable laid in the trench, the cable ends shall be temporarily
supported so that they will not be on ground or in water.

6.4 Pulling Tension and Speed

Pulling the cross-linked polyethylene insulated power cable can easily be done by
means of pulling eye previously attached to a cable end of each drum.

The cables shall not be pulled with an excessive tension or excessive sidewall
pressure at curve of the cable route during laying. The tension and the pressure
depend upon the material and cross-sectional area of the conductors. Allowable
pulling tension and sidewall pressure are as follows:

Allowable Pulling Tension 7.1kg/mm² for copper conductor

3.5kg/mm² for aluminum conductor
Allowable Side wall Pressure 447 kg/m

It must be noted that the cable shall be pulled with an appropriate speed to keep the
movements of cable and drum smooth. The drums must never rotate faster than the
cable run. If it is not braked in time, the cable may be drawn in under the drum and
be damaged. The cable must be laid out smoothly and without interruption.

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

6.5 Cable Pulling Procedure (Conductor/Pulling Eye - Cable Pulling)

6.5.1 Description

Typical procedures for the cable pulling work are shown on the following
Charter No. 1. Typical positions for cable pulling are shown on Figure 06-02
through 06-05.

Charter No. 1 : Typical Procedures for The Cable Pulling Work

UNDERGROUND DUCT
WINCH SIDE BANK, TRENCH/CABLE DUCT CABLE DRUM SIDE

Setting Cable pulling winch Inspection of the trench condition Transportation of cable
and drum of wire rope Cleaning the cable duct1 drum and setting it on
for cable pulling cable drum jack

Setting cable rollers/curve Remove wooden

rollers in trench battens from cable drum

Laying wire rope for cable Inspection of the surface

pulling in trench/cable duct and oil leakage of cable
visually
Setting of match block

on the pulling eye in line Setting portable telephone Setting guide rollers
with the cable to be along the cable trench with supporting facilities
pulled through duct bank

and manhole system Connecting cable to wire

rope for cable pulling

Cable lubrication for duct

bank and manhole system

Note: Pulling Cable

1. Do a mandrel test
Exchanging cable drum
pressure tank to construction
portable pressure tank

Disposition of the ends

of cable

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TRANSMISSION CONSTRUCTION STANDARD TCS-P-104.06, Rev. 0

6.5.2 Procedure of Cable Laying:

a. Pulling Direction: One of the ends of the route is selected for setting
the drums and the other is for the winch.

Pulling direction shall be decided by computation where less tensile

force and sidewall pressure in the cable is met during laying work.

b. Inspecting the Trench Condition: Before the cable pulling work

commences, the whole trench shall be inspected.

Gravels, sharp edges and any other objects shall be removed on the
bedding sand in the trench.

c. The trench depth shall be increased in areas where underground

utilities cross perpendicularly and are located near the trench bottom,
so that the cables when laid, shall pass underneath the utility with at
least 1000 mm clearance. The transition of the cable under the utility
shall be carried out gradually. A split conduit shall be provided on
the cable which shall cross the utilities and will overlap utilities by
1000 mm both sides on crossing.

Where trenching is taking place in existing roads, shoring is required.

Steel plates shall be provided. Shoring shall extend from the trench
bottom to a point above grade level. The shoring shall be adequately
braced so that it remains rigidly in place.

d. A 150 mm layer of fine, granular, uncontaminated bedding of sand

shall be evenly distributed in the trench. This sand shall exhibit a
maximum thermal soil resistivity of 1.2 K.m/W. The soil thermal
resistivity shall be tested and verified by SEC that the required value
has been met along with the method of treatment.

e. Cable rollers shall be placed in the trench at a maximum of 3 m apart

and carefully aligned so that the cable during pulling rests in the
center of the roller. The rollers shall be carefully maintained and
lubricated to ensure that roller friction is minimized. Defective
and/or binding rollers shall not be used.

f. Whenever angles and/or bends in the route are encountered, care

shall be taken to ensure that the rollers are properly positioned so that
the allowable bending radius of the cable is not exceeded. The
rollers shall be adequately braced against tensions and side pressure
that will be encountered during the cable pull. The transition through
the angle and/or bend shall be uniformed to conform to the arc of a
circle. Radii at the angles shall be as large as practical to minimize
pulling tensions and sidewall pressures. The arc radii shall match
those used in tension and sidewall pressure calculations.

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g. Cleaning the Cable Duct: Prior to the start of cable pulling work, the
cable duct shall be cleaned. Mandrel test shall be conducted.

The properly sized cleaning brush shall be passed through all cable
ducts to remove any obstacles in the duct.

h. Setting Cable Pulling Winch and Drum of Wire Rope for Cable
Pulling: The cable pulling winch is to be fixed firmly so that it can
stand against the pulling force. (Refer to Fig. 06-01).

The winch shall be capable of changing pulling speed in the range of

0-10 meter per minute.

Rotation of the drum of the winch shall be smooth at the start of

pulling, so the engine winch equipped with a clutch is preferable.

A tension meter or dynamometer shall be incorporated to the winch.

The wire rope drum for cable pulling shall be settled at the available
position in order to roll up the wire rope easily.

i. Setting the Cable Drum on Cable Drum Jack: The cable drum
transported to the construction site shall be set on the cable drum jack.

The cable drum and the cable drum jack shall be settled at proper
position for cable pulling.

j. Inspecting the Surface of Cable and Oil Leakage: The outer surface
of the cable, oil feeding pipe and cable drum pressure tank shall be
visually inspected and checked to detect oil leakage.

k. Setting Cable Rollers/Curve Rollers: Cable rollers shall be placed in

the right position of the cable route.

The intervals of the rollers shall be kept about 1.5 to 2m. The rollers
shall be maintained to enhance smooth rotation. If the cable is
planned to be pulled through a curve, curve rollers shall be placed at
proper positions in order to keep the allowable cable bending radius
as per TES-P-104.05.

l. Setting Guide Rollers with Supporting/Facilities: The cable guide

roller shall be placed at the proper position between cable drum and
trench/splice bay in order to pull the cable smoothly.

m. Laying of Wire Rope for Cable Pulling in Trench/Cable Duct: The

wire rope for cable pulling shall have 4 times as much safety factor
for calculated maximum value of pulling tension.

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It is important that the wire rope is handled in such a manner that it is

not twisted or kinked.

n. Connecting Cable to Wire Rope for Cable Pulling: The pulling eye
hook that is fixed at the top of the cable shall have the proper size to
be connected to the wire rope for cable pulling through a swivel and
shackles.

o. Pulling Cable: After the facilities and the equipment are properly set,
the portable telephones shall be installed at both ends of the pull with
provision of tapping within the section being pulled.

They are utilized to control the pulling speed and for other
communication.

Cable pulling shall be started gradually.

p. Cable pulling shall start only if all cables required for route’s section
to be pulled are available.

q. After inspection by a COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE, newly laid

cables shall be backfilled immediately. Prolonged open trench is
hazardous to public, traffic and cables.

A watchman shall be stationed to observe the leading end of the

cable. This watchman walks along the cable being pulled.

The rotating speed of the drum shall be compatible to that of the

pulling speed.

If necessary, the rotating speed shall be controlled with a simple

wooden brake.

The pulling speed must be regulated.

When the leading end of the cable approaches the terminating point at
the winch side or the tail end of the cable is just going off the drum,
the pulling work shall be stopped. The oil feeding copper pipe which
is fastened to the pressure tank on the cable drum and connected to
the cable and tank on drum shall be loosened and extended gradually
by exchanging of pressure tanks.

r. Exchanging of Pressure Tanks: The procedure of exchanging the

cable drum pressure tanks to the construction portable pressure tank is
as follows (Refer Figure 06-06).

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1. The pulling work shall be stopped.

2. The valve of the cable drum pressure tank (Tank A) on the

drum shall be closed and again opened slightly (about 5% of a
turn).

3. The valve of the construction portable pressure tank (Tank B)

for temporary oil feeding during joint work shall be opened
slightly (same degree as above).

4. The extra connector union or oil feeding pipe that is connected

to Tank A shall be opened.

5. The oil feeding pipe of Tank B shall be connected to the extra

connector union.

At this time, the oil shall be flowing over from both outlets
(oil feeding pipe of Tank B and extra connector union on oil
feeding pipe shall be connected to Tank A) in order to avoid
penetration of the air in to the openings.

6. After the Tank B is connected to the cable, the oil feeding pipe
of the Tank A shall be disconnected.

o. Disposition of Ends of Cable: After the exchanging of the pressure tanks

is finished, the cable pulling work can be started again until both ends of
the cable reach their final proper, position for either splicing or
terminating.

6.6 Cable Routing and Installation Inside Substation Basement/Cable Entry Room

6.6.1 Properly secured trefoil cable clamps from the cable entry ducts in the cellar
wall to the sealing end bay positions shall be provided. The trefoil clamps
shall be installed every 700 mm along the cable route in the cable entry
room. The installed clamps shall have sufficient mechanical strength to
withstand torques in the cables due to faults, surges. SEC shall approve the
clamps prior to installation. All metallic cable support and accessories (i.e.
clamps, sealing) shall be connected (grounded) to the Substation ground
grid.

6.6.2 Necessary fire proofing of the cable inside substations cable entry room/
basement at new substation shall be provided in accordance with
TES-P-104.05.

6.6.3 The power cable circuits shall be tagged immediately on entering the cable
cellar with the name of route, length of the route, size of the conductor,
voltage level and type of insulation. Any crossing between power cables in
basement/cable entry room shall be avoided.

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To undergo a joint inspection, SEC representative shall select the most

suitable cable entry points and the best cable route inside substation
basements/cable entry room. Upon completion of the inspection, a scale
drawing incorporating all the details shall be submitted for SEC approval.

6.6.4 Adequate cable loop not less than five (5) meters in the basement and cable
entry room for any future termination work shall be provided.

6.6.5 The cable clamps and cable supports shall be made of non-magnetic
materials to make the cable clamping arrangements on steel supports do not
produce circulating current/heat in the steel supports.

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