Design of Hawaii deep water +/- 250 KVDC power cable

This paper discusses the design and evaluation of a\pm 250KVDC submarine power cable intended for installation in 7,000 feet of water in the Alenuihaha Channel adjacent to the island of Hawaii. The successful completion of the evaluation and design is an integral part of any plans to link the major Hawaiian Islands into an electrical grid. This electrical grid is the keystone to the state of Hawaii's energy self-sufficiency program, which depends heavily on renewable energy sources such as ocean thermal, wind, and geothermal. The cable design work is being performed as part of the Hawaiian Electric Company Hawaii Deep Water Electrical Transmission Cable Demonstration Program, initially funded by the state of Hawaii. Five candidate cable designs were selected for detailed analysis. These have been evaluated on the basis of coilability/ handleability, installability, survivability, costs and the amount of development work required to ensure successful installation and operation of the cable. The preferred design for the Hawaii Deep Water Cable uses a 2,700 kcmil aluminum conductor, mass-impregnated insulation, lead sheath, and a double layer of round jacketed galvanized steel armor wire.