Performance of reduced wall EPR insulated medium voltage power cables. II. Mechanical characteristics

For the replacement of paper-insulated lead covered power cables (PILC), reduced insulation wall designs have been developed. They provide a reliable lower diameter cable design for installation in existing PILC conduits. This paper presents the results of mechanical tests conducted on both reduced- and full-wall EPR insulated power cables. Both jacketed and nonjacketed cable designs have been subjected to mechanical pulling forces which greatly exceed recommended industry limitations, followed by electrical testing to ascertain cable performance. The results of this study conclude that reduced-wall EPR insulated cables can safely withstand the same pulling forces as recommended for conventional walls and can be designed for installation under the same pulling limitations