The Prysmian Group announced that it has reached a key technology milestone in power transmission: the successful development and testing of the first 525 kV extruded submarine full cable system for High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) applications.
The breakthrough will enable a massive increase of the maximum transmission capacity of bi-pole systems up to more than 2.5 GW, which is more than double the value achieved with 320 kV DC systems currently in service. The one-year prequalification testing was carried out per international standards including CIGRE TB-496 and witnessed by a third-party certification body.
“This new milestone confirms our commitment and prominent role in the development of power grids infrastructure, key for the energy transition,” said Prysmian Group CEO Valerio Battista.
HVDC cable links are key components of sustainable energy systems, to transmit large bulks of electricity over long distances, often across or between countries. This achievement will put Prysmian Group in a unique position to support forthcoming tenders for submarine interconnectors.
“On the heels of the successful industrialization of 525 kV HVDC underground cables for the 3 German HVDC links projects, we are ready to extend this innovative technology for submarine cable systems to enable our customers in the continuous effort towards the energy transition by further reducing the costs of offshore wind and minimizing the environmental impact,” said Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects Business Unit.
The company leveraged its in-depth knowledge of materials and the capability to improve manufacturing processes to optimize a reliable industrial process with strict technological parameters and providing an entire system of cable and accessories. That includes flexible factory joints, rigid repair joints and sea-land joints with the best dielectric properties.