Ma’aden Engineering Manual Rev.

Date: 25 Aug 2011

Specification Rev: C01

Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3
1.1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 3
2. Key Terms and Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 3
3. Referenced Documents ........................................................................................................................... 3
3.1 Statutory Regulations ...................................................................................................................... 4
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards ......................................................................................................... 4
3.2.1 Local Codes and Standards ................................................................................................. 4
3.2.2 International Codes and Standards ...................................................................................... 4
3.2.3 Alternative Design Codes .................................................................................................... 5
4. Design & Manufacturing Requirements................................................................................................... 5
4.1 High Voltage Power Cables 7.96/13.8 to 19.9/34.5 kV ................................................................... 5
4.2 Low Voltage Power Cables 0.6/1 kV ............................................................................................... 6
4.2.1 Cables Above Ground or In Conduit ................................................................................... 6
4.2.2 Cables for Direct Buried Use ............................................................................................... 7
4.3 Control Cables ................................................................................................................................ 7
4.4 Instrument and Communication Cables .......................................................................................... 7
4.4.1 Twisted Pair & Triad Instrument Cables ............................................................................... 7
4.4.2 RS-232 and RS-485 Communications Cable ........................................................................ 8
4.4.3 Profibus DP Cable ............................................................................................................... 9
4.4.4 Foundation Fieldbus Cable ................................................................................................. 9
4.5 Fiber Optic Cables .......................................................................................................................... 9
4.6 Optical Fiber Patch Leads ............................................................................................................. 10
5. Quality Assurance ................................................................................................................................. 10
6. Inspection and Testing .......................................................................................................................... 11
6.1 Type and Routine Tests ................................................................................................................. 11
7. Transport, Packaging, Handling and Shipping ....................................................................................... 11

PROPRIETARY & HV and LV Cables

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CONFIDENTIAL Doc No: MD-101-SMEM-EG-EL-SPC-0009
 Ma’aden Engineering Manual Rev. Date: 25 Aug 2011
Specification Rev: C01

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Scope
This document details the requirements for HV and LV Cables Specification for all Ma’aden
projects in Saudi Arabia.

This document is intended to be used in conjunction with the applicable documents listed
herein.
1.2 Purpose
The purpose of this specification is to set the minimum engineering standard for labor,
materials and services required for the design, fabrication, inspection, testing and supply of
electric power cables together with instrumentation, control cables, communications and
fiber optic cables

2. KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

AWA Aluminum Wire Armor
ELV Extra Low Voltage (50 Vac ≥ V ≤ 120 Vdc)
Employer Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and its authorized representatives
and respective affiliates
HD Heavy Duty
HDPE High Density Polyethylene
HF Halogen Free
HV High Voltage ( V > 1000 Vac)
LV Low Voltage (V > 50 Vac and V ≤ 1000 Vac)
OPGW Optical Ground Wire
PVC Polyvinyl Chloride
RTD Resistance Temperature Detectors
SWA Steel Wire Armored
UV Ultraviolet
VSD Variable Speed Drive
XLPE Cross-linked Polyethylene

3. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
This specification requires compliance with the provisions of the latest revision of the
relevant standards or codes of the following authorities and technical organizations, as
applicable, and specifications which shall be considered to form part of this specification,
where applicable.

PROPRIETARY & HV and LV Cables

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3.1 Statutory Regulations

All work performed and materials furnished shall comply with the applicable statutory
regulations, codes and other requirements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (including but not
limited to directives of the High Commission for Industrial Security, Royal Commission
regulations applicable to the Site, regulations of the Presidency of Meteorology and
Environment, Saudi Building Code and other applicable codes and regulations). The
Contractor shall ensure that he is fully aware and informed of all Government laws, local
ordinances, regulations and all orders and decrees of bodies or tribunals having any
jurisdiction or authority over the Project and/or Site, which in any manner affect the Project
and those engaged or employed on the Project, or which in any way affect the conduct of
the Work. The Contractor shall at all times observe and comply with all such Government
and/or Ministry laws, bylaws, ordinances, codes, regulations, orders and decrees.
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
All equipment and systems shall conform to the following:
3.2.1 Local Codes and Standards
SBC 401 Saudi Building Code – Electrical

3.2.2 International Codes and Standards

IEC 60027-1 Letter Symbols for Use in Electrotechnology

IEC 60050 International Electrotechnical Vocabulary
IEC 60079 Explosive atmospheres
IEC 60189 Low-frequency cables and wires with PVC insulation and PVC
sheath
IEC 60228 Conductors of insulated cables
IEC 60287 Electric cables - Calculation of the current rating
IEC 60304 Standard colors for insulation for low-frequency cables and wires
IEC 60331 Fire resisting characteristics of electric cables
IEC 60332 Tests on electric and optical fiber cables under fire conditions
IEC 60502 Power cables with extruded insulation and their accessories for
rated voltages from 1 kV (Um = 1,2 kV) up to 30 kV (Um =
36 kV)
IEC 60724 Short-circuit temperature limits of electric cables with rated
voltages of
1 kV (Um = 1,2 kV) and 3 kV (Um = 3,6 kV)
IEC 60754 Test on gases evolved during combustion of materials from
cables
IEC 60794 Optical fiber cables – Part 1-1: Generic specification
IEC 60811 Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of
electric cables and optical cables
IEC 60885 Electrical test methods for electric cables
IEC 60986 Short-circuit temperature limits of electric cables with rated
voltages from 6 kV (Um = 7,2 kV) up to 30 kV (Um = 36 kV)

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IEC 61156 Mult-icore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital

communications
ISO 1000 The International System of Units (SI) and its Application
(ISO 1000)

3.2.3 Alternative Design Codes

Alternative design codes may be used for HV And LV Cables design if approved by the
Employer.

4. DESIGN & MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS

Supplier cables shall be suitable for the conditions as specified in Standard Specification –
Site Data.

Cable insulation shall be in accordance with IEC 60502. The conductors shall be stranded
and non-compacted with annealed high conductivity copper unless otherwise stated.

Conductors shall be copper unless otherwise specified.

All outer PVC sheaths shall be UV resistant.

Cables shall be marked by numbers and words per meter length of cable, indicating the
length of cable remaining on cable drums.

Splices in conductors, drain wires, screens and shields are not acceptable.
4.1 High Voltage Power Cables 7.96/13.8 to 19.9/34.5 kV
Construction and manufacture of high voltage power cables shall be in accordance with
IEC 60502.

For multi core cables the copper wire screen shall be able to withstand a fault current of
10 kA for one second with a maximum transient temperature under the fault condition of
250°C.
Single & Multi Core

Conductors Stranded & compacted

Insulation X-90 XLPE
Screen HD copper wire or copper tape
Sheath Red 5V-90 PVC

VSD Cables

For HV VSD cables refer to “Single & Multi Core” above.

Flame Retardant

Cables shall be supplied with a fire retardant insulation to IEC 60331 and IEC 60332 to
achieve a two hour fire rating.

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Conductors Stranded & compacted

Insulation XLPE plus mica glass tape, or fire retardant polymer
Screen HD copper wire or copper tape
Sheath Red HF-110

4.2 Low Voltage Power Cables 0.6/1 kV

Cores of PVC insulated power cables shall be of the following color codes:

• Two core and earth shall be brown, blue and green/yellow

• Three core and earth shall be brown, black, grey and green/yellow

• Four core and earth shall be brown, black, grey, blue and green/yellow.

Construction and manufacture of low voltage power cables shall be in accordance with
IEC 60502.
4.2.1 Cables Above Ground or In Conduit
Single Core

Insulation X-90 XLPE

Sheath Black UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC

Single Core Earth

Insulation/Sheath Green/yellow UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC (none if buried)

Multi Core

Insulation V-90 PVC or X-90 XPLE

Sheath Orange UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC

VSD Cables

Construction 3 conductors and 3 earths to be symmetrically laid-up

Insulation Flexible XLPE
Screen Heavy duty tinned copper providing full surface coverage
Sheath Orange UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC

Flexible Cables

Insulation EPR with CPE sheath

Sheath – single core Black UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC
Sheath – multi core Orange UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC

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Flame Retardant

Insulation HF-110
Sheath – single core Black HF-110
Sheath – multi core Orange HF-110

4.2.2 Cables for Direct Buried Use

Single & Multi Core

Insulation X-90 XLPE

Sheath – single core Black UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC
Sheath – multi core Orange UV-stabilized 5V-90 PVC

The construction shall be as follows:

1. 5V-90 PVC insulated pair/triads.
2. Nylon 11 or 12 termite barrier.
3. Layer of:
a. (multi core) mild steel wire armor (SWA)
b. (for single core) aluminum wire armor (AWA).
4. Outer PVC sheath.
4.3 Control Cables

Conductors Stranded annealed copper

Insulation 5V-90 PVC, 0.6/1 kV
Sheath Orange UV-stabilized V-90HT PVC
Core colors White (earth conductor green/yellow)
Markings Core number in black digits and words

Where Nylon is specified for direct-buried cables, the construction shall be as follows:
1. 5V-90 PVC insulated pair/triads.
2. Nylon 12 termite barrier.
3. Layer of mild SWA.
4. Outer PVC sheath (orange).
4.4 Instrument and Communication Cables
4.4.1 Twisted Pair & Triad Instrument Cables
The manufacturer’s cable code shall be marked on the outer sheath.

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Conductors Stranded annealed copper in accordance with IEC 60228 (minimum

7 strands)
Conductor size: 1.5 mm2 (minimum)
(1 or 2 pair/triad)
Conductor size: 0.5 mm2 (minimum)
(>2 pair/triad)
Insulation V-90HT PVC, 110V AC/150V DC (nominal)
Individual screen Aluminum polyester tape with 7/0.25 tinned copper drain wire
Overall screen Aluminum polyester tape with 7/0.25 tinned copper drain wire
Sheath UV-stabilized V-90HT PVC
Sheath color Black, unless specified to be Light blue for IS
Core colors – pairs White and black
Core colors – triads White, black and red
Markings Identical numbers on each core of the pair/triad
HV Withstand test 500 V for one minute between any core and all other cores, and
between any core and shield
Sheath integrity Passes spark test at 6 kV

Where Nylon is specified for direct-buried cables, the construction shall be as follows:
1. V-90HT PVC insulated pair/triads.
2. Overall screen of aluminum polyester tape.
3. Nylon 12 termite barrier.
4. Layer of mild SWA.
5. Outer PVC sheath (black).
The Supplier shall assume that any cable specified with a light blue sheath is for IS use and
shall meet the requirements of IEC 60079.
4.4.2 RS-232 and RS-485 Communications Cable

Construction Twisted pair

Conductors Stranded annealed copper (minimum 7 strands)
Conductor size 0.2 mm2 (minimum)
Insulation Polyethylene
Overall screen Foil (100% coverage) plus tinned copper braid
(minimum 90% coverage) with drain wire (minimum
7 strands, minimum 0.2 mm2)
Sheath Grey PVC
Capacitance: 43 pF/m maximum
conductor-to-conductor
Capacitance: 77 pF/m maximum
conductor-to-conductor and shield

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4.4.3 Profibus DP Cable

Construction Twisted pair

Conductors Stranded annealed copper (minimum 7 strands)
Conductor size 0.34 mm2 (minimum)
Insulation Polyethylene
Overall screen Foil (100% coverage) plus tinned copper braid (minimum 65% coverage)
Sheath Violet PVC
Core colors Red and green
Cable 30 pF/m (maximum)
capacitance
Impedance 35 to 165 ohms (3 to 20 MHz)
Resistance 110 ohm/km per conductor (maximum)

4.4.4 Foundation Fieldbus Cable

Construction Twisted pair

Conductors Stranded annealed copper (minimum 7 strands)
Conductor size 0.8 mm2 (minimum)
Insulation Polyethylene
Overall screen Foil (100% coverage) plus 0.5 mm2 tinned copper drain wire
Sheath Orange PVC (color to be confirmed)
Core colors Blue and orange

4.5 Fiber Optic Cables

The fibers and tubes of all optical fiber cable shall be color coded. The color code for
optical fiber cores and buffer tubes shall use the color sequence Blue, Orange, Green,
Brown, Grey, White, Red, Black, Yellow, Violet, Pink, and Aqua.

Optical fiber cables shall have a clearly legible cable length marker at regular intervals not
exceeding five meters along its outer sheath. The cable marker shall indicate manufacturer,
cable type/model, the number of fibers and the cable length marker.

Optical fiber cables shall meet the following requirements:

• Be of high strength construction

• Loose buffer tube internal construction

• Loose buffer tubes shall be filled with an electrically non-conductive gel (jelly filled)

• Fibers to be evenly distributed between the tubes

• Loose tube cables shall have a maximum of 12 optical fiber cores per tube, with up to
five tubes per cable

• Outer construction:

 A polyethylene inner sheath, then

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 A corrugated steel tape (for protection against rodents and vermin), then

 A polyethylene sheath, then

 A nylon jacket for termite protection, then

 A sacrificial UV resistant PVC or polyethylene sheath for protection against damage

during installation.

• All optical fiber shall be single-mode (9/125 µm) employing single-mode optical glass
fiber (Corning SMF-28e or similar quality) and have the following physical
characteristics:
 A nominal mode field diameter of 9 µm
 A cladding diameter of 125 µm
 A nominal primary coating diameter of 250 µm
 Attenuation less than:

▪ 0.35 db/km @ 1,310 nm

▪ 0.22 db/km @ 1,550 nm.

 Cut-off wavelength 1,260 nm maximum.

All optical fiber cables shall be supplied on a drum, with a schedule showing the drum
tested total attenuation per fiber core for the total length of the optical fiber cable. The tests
shall be carried out at a wavelength applicable to the cable type, namely 1300 nm. The
schedule shall include the drum number that the optical fiber cable is wound on, as well as
the Employer’s purchase order number and the purchase order item number.

Tight buffered cable shall be 900 µm with 3 mm jacket and shall only be used for pigtails
and for installation within cabinets.
4.6 Optical Fiber Patch Leads
All optical fiber patch leads shall be single-mode and have the following characteristics:

• Be tight buffered 9/125/250/900 µm figure-8 duplex cable with Kevlar buffering and
3 mm PVC jacket

• Be terminated by SC connectors with a ceramic ferule with an insertion loss of less than
0.4 db

• Have PC polishing

• Be provided with dust caps for all connectors, and

• Be yellow in color.

5. QUALITY ASSURANCE
The Supplier shall comply with Ma’aden Contractor Quality Requirements Project Execution
Instructions – MD-101-SMPM-PM-QA-PEI-0001.

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6. INSPECTION AND TESTING

The Supplier shall perform inspection and testing requirements outlined in this Specification
and the applicable standards of the IEC.

Inspection and Test Plans (ITP), and quality control procedures used for the HV and LV
cables shall form part of the Method Statement and shall be submitted for Approval prior to
commencement of work.

Tests sheets shall be prepared for each inspection and test and shall form part of the test plan.
Test sheets shall be submitted for Approval with plan prior to commencement of testing.
Completed test sheets shall be signed and dated by personnel carrying out inspection and
testing for Approval by the Employer prior to delivery of the HV and LV cables.

The Supplier shall appoint a certified inspector (to NACE, or approved equivalent) for
inspection and testing of the HV and LV cables. The Supplier shall notify the Employer at
least two weeks before tests take place. The Employer will then advise the Supplier whether
the Employer or its nominee will inspect the equipment and witness the test.
6.1 Type and Routine Tests
Type and Routine tests shall be carried out on all HV and LV Cables furnished under this
Specification in accordance with IEC 60502.

Certificates of all tests made shall be supplied.

7. TRANSPORT, PACKAGING, HANDLING AND SHIPPING

All equipment shall be suitably packed to prevent damage during transport, handling and
extended storage on Site open to atmospheric conditions – refer to Standard Specification –
Site Data.

All items being transported shall be:

• Provided with lifting and handling instructions

• Labeled with the Employer’s address and order number.

Cables sensitive to water damage shall be protected to preserve them in a dry stated for up to
six months during transport, storage and installation when subject to heavy, driving rain.

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