Managing an aging underground high-voltage cable network

The reliability of the UK high-voltage cable distribution network is most satisfactory, with the average failure rates around 2 faults/100 km/year. However, over half the network is greater than 25 years old, and a sizeable minority is greater than 40 years old. To manage this network economically and reliably, requires the ability to understand and measure the expected remaining life of the cables in the network. This is turn, means that the predominant long-term ageing mechanism, namely, partial-discharge erosion in the insulation, be quantified. Here, the author investigates which policy the power industry should adopt for the refurbishment and replacement of aged cables.<
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