by Damien Polansky, Dow Electrical & Telecommunications

Why Materials,
Cable Standards Matter
in Reliable Global
Power Systems
S ome of us live in parts of the world where accessibility to
dependable power is taken for granted. But power shortages,
rolling brownouts and regional blackouts continue to challenge
global power systems. Aging infrastructure, increasing demand,
natural disasters, and adopting and connecting to new
forms of renewable energy generation all contribute to
these challenges.
Reliable power is in every nation’s best interest, so these
challenges must be addressed. Gross domestic product
growth depends on it. The relationship between energy and
economic growth was a key topic during the recent World
Economic Forum. Royal Dutch Shell CEO and 2011 Energy
Community Leader Peter Voser addressed the forum.
“Without heat, light and power, you cannot build or run the
factories and cities that provide goods, jobs and homes, nor enjoy the
amenities that make life more comfortable and enjoyable,” he said. “Energy
is the oxygen of the economy and the lifeblood of growth, particularly
in the mass industrialization phase that emerging economic giants are
facing today as their per capita GDP moves between related risks for splices and terminations during
approximately $5,000 and $15,000.” installation. Utility engineers care about high
From urban areas where power helps economies electrical breakdown strength that ensures failure-
thrive to remote villages dependent on a single wind free operation and lower electrical losses over the
turbine to light a classroom, energy derived from lifetime of the cable.
a multitude of resources is harnessed into power These performance attributes are possible only
systems that must deliver according to consumer with the use of quality raw materials tested to
expectations. Namely, that power is available at the perform according to industry specifications. Cable
flip of a switch, push of a button or plug of a cord makers, system developers, insurance providers,
to execute needs in the home, at the workplace, on utilities and IPPs alike should ask about the kind
the farm, in a manufacturing plant, school or health of technology, clean manufacturing and packaging
care facility. techniques, testing and validation that goes into raw
As old power grids are rehabilitated and new material production. Strong consideration up front
ones are built, consider the role of the benefits that quality materials bring
of the power cable and why Consider the to power cable design and construction
adherence to strict quality and role of the is essential.
manufacturing standards for power cable Consider the growing dominance of
cable construction is crucial to and why tree-retardant cross-linked polyethylene
reliable, long-life power systems. adherence (TR-XLPE) for underground (UG) medium-
Utilities and independent power to standards voltage (MV) power cable applications.
providers (IPPs) must place more is crucial to XLPE emerged in the 1970s as the preferred
attention on whether the cables reliable power insulation type for MV UG power cables
they purchase and install adhere systems. because of its quality, cost competitiveness
to those standards for quality and and reduced long-term operating costs.
performance. Making sure rehabilitated and new
systems are built to last for decades requires quality
that begins with the materials that go into cable
construction and the premise that not all cables
are created equal.

Quality Materials Matter

The power industry has a range
of suppliers and materials
from which to choose when
deciding about cable
construction, specification
and installation. Cable
manufacturers are looking for
materials that deliver ease of
processing for robust, consistent
manufacturing that minimizes
insulation-related stresses during fabrication.
Installers look at flexibility, stress-crack resistance
and shield strippability that reduces accessory-
 COMPARING RETENTION OF
DIELECTRIC STRENGTH OF
TR-XLPE, XLPE AND EPR CABLES
40
AC Breakdown Strength (kV/mm)
35
30
25
20
15
TR-XLPE
EPR
10 Curve Ft of XLPE
Curve Fit for TR-XLPE
5 Curve Fit for EPR
0 with 11 global alliance partners in North America,
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Service Years
Ongoing study of XLPE in wet UG conditions led
to the development of water tree-retardant XLPE, or
TR-XLPE insulation, for UG power distribution cables
that have become the standard bearer vs. cables made
with XLPE and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR)
materials. A study shows actual field aging of cables
buried for 17 years (see Figure 1). From the excellent
retention of dielectric strength derived from that study
along with data from accelerated wet-aging tests, it
generally is accepted that cables made with TR-XLPE
materials can last 40 years or more.
Cable Standards Matter
Materials suppliers and cable manufacturers have
been challenged for years with this mindset: Cable
often is seen as a commodity, and many people assume
any standard utility cable will operate just fine in any
given system. This mindset sometimes allows short-
term financial considerations to overrule long-term
investments toward reliable, long service life solutions
that can result in a lower total cost of ownership
during the life of the system. Economic sustainability
for power providers depends on how long systems
last underground, below the sea or overhead without
failures. Cables made with quality materials to exceed
industry specifications ensure sustainability for end
users and the entire value chain.
With this in mind, Dow Electrical &
Telecommunications (Dow E&T) began its Dow
Inside initiative in 2009, which brings the company’s
technology together with cable manufacturers to
fabricate cables that exceed global industry standards.
Under the program, select cable manufacturers have
the opportunity to become licensees that manufacture
cables with Dow materials according to high
standards. In exchange, Dow E&T supports the cable
manufacturers with technology, proven products,
enhanced service and a creative and responsive
partner. To date, the company has signed agreements
40
Europe, India and Asia. These cable manufacturers
use DOW ENDURANCE™ products to make MV,
high-voltage (HV) and extra-high voltage (EHV)
power cables.
All cables made with the company’s MV
products  have undergone rigorous testing and meet
or exceed the following standards:
•  North American: ANSI/ICEA S-94-649, ANSI/
ICEA S-97-682
•  European: CENELEC HD620, IEC 60502,
60840, German DIN VDE 0207, 0276
•  Chinese: Power Industry Specification DL/T
1070
HV and EHV cables made with the company’s
materials meet and exceed all globally mandated
requirements including IEC 60840/62067 or other
equivalent international standards.
In addition, many testing institutes and other
organizations work with companies such as Dow
E&T and its cable manufacturer customers to
ensure raw materials and the cables produced from
them meet recognized national and international
standards. These testing institutes and organizations
include: National Electric Energy Testing Research
and Applications Center (NEETRAC) and Wuhan
High Voltage Research Institute (WHVRI); along
with standards development agencies such as the
Association of Edison Illuminating Companies (AEIC)
and Insulated Cable Engineers Association (ICEA).
Investing
Think about life’s little and big moments that power infrastructure for new and rehabilitated aging systems
happen every day and the role power plays in will continue to grow globally. Whether using traditional or
those moments: emergency surgery for a loved renewable energy resources, all power systems need cable for
one, lighting a field for that nighttime Little League transmission and distribution. Cable must be reliable over a long
game or soccer tournament, cooking breakfast for period to satisfy a positive outcome for each utility’s investment
your children, preparing to pitch that next big and to manage costs and confidence for consumers. Collaboration
piece of business, holding a Skype chat with a among materials suppliers, cable manufacturers and utilities is
friend many miles away, paramount to sustainable power system maintenance and growth.
pumping a village’s first Materials suppliers must collaborate with cable manufacturers
clean drinking water Think about to deliver to utilities the value proposition that quality materials
from a local well. Which all of life’s and the best manufacturing practices are essential to quality
are we willing to chance moments cable construction.
by overlooking the and the role
implications of short- power plays
term thinking regarding in them.
power grid materials
and cables?
Cables form a small percentage of a total power
system’s cost, and insulation and jacketing materials
represent an even smaller percentage. Is it worth
the risk to compromise system reliability in the
long term by not investing in the best materials and
cables in the near term? The need for sustainable

Utilities must stay abreast of new material developments so

they can insist that the cables they specify meet the strictest
standards for long-term performance and reliability. All sides must
consider external factors that affect cost so the entire value chain
is financially secure to continue innovating. Providing cables
with the best materials, manufactured to global standards, is the
best bet for protecting the long-term investment of every power
system. Quality materials and cable standards matter.

Damien Polansky is associate director of electrical infrastructure at Dow Electrical &

Telecommunications.

Eprinted and posted with permission to Dow Electrical & Telecommunications from PowerGrid International
November © 2012 PennWell Corporation

For more information contact Brent Richardson at brichardson@dow.com

or visit us at www.dow.com/electrical

@DowE_T