Nexans has decided to enhance its high voltage (HV) testing capacity by building a new direct current (DC) laboratory in Calais, France, that allows to test simultaneously three independent qualification loops.
Each loop is composed of multiple cable sections and joints and is connected to the electrical network through two terminations. It is designed to represent the various configurations existing in power grids.
The new laboratory is dedicated to HVDC cables, a market of primary importance for high-capacity links and connection of renewable energy sources, such as the Dolwin 6 offshore wind park, for which Nexans Germany was recently awarded a contract to supply and install two 90-km-long HVDC cables that will transport up to 900 MW of wind power.
The Calais Center of Excellence for HV testing occupies 6,500 m² and is now composed of 12 HV test laboratories equipped with generators operating up to 1.5 million volts.
In addition to electrical testing, the Calais Center of Excellence is capable to perform electrical, thermal and mechanical modeling along with physico-chemical analyses and thermo-mechanical tests.
“ As the global energy needs continue to grow, the world will require extremely reliable cable systems for power transmission at ever higher voltage levels for both AC and DC applications,” said Dirk Steinbrink , Nexans senior executive vice president, High Voltage and Underwater Cable Business Group. “ With its new laboratory, the Calais Center of Excellence will be positioned as one of the leading hubs for helping our clients address the challenges of the future.”