Rebounding and learning from a HV Cable Termination Mid-life Crisis

Powerlink Queensland first adopted XLPE cable for high voltage application in 1997. The first 275 kV installation entered service in June 1998 and in 2020, reached 22 years of operation. At this age, an operational decision to undertake extended sampling of asset condition included dissolved gas analysis.

These results indicated a potentially serious issue with gassing inside several 275 kV terminations that required urgent investigation and mitigation works to be performed. Rectification priorities were developed from risk assessments that considered safety, network operations, reputational, and financial aspects in the event of a failure and associated extended time to repair for these circuits.

The overall theme of this presentation focusses on key utility learnings from a serious degradation issue encountered for HV XLPE cable terminations. These learnings can be applied to the utilities existing fleet of HV and EHV XLPE cables and oil-filled cable terminations along with the design of new cable systems.

Speakers

Glenn Stapleton has worked in the Queensland Electricity Supply Industry for close to 30 years. In this time, Glenn has held roles in the planning, high voltage testing, design, construction management and procurement for overhead and underground transmission lines in Queensland ranging from 66 kV to 500 kV.

Glenn is currently Powerlink Queensland’s Principal Engineer for Transmission Lines and Cables. He presently leads the development and application of standards for HV and EHV overhead and underground cables at Powerlink, the transmission network service provider in Queensland, Australia.