Sumitomo completes long-term test for 525 kV cross-linked polyethylene subsea cable

Business Developments & Projects

Japan-headquartered Sumitomo Electric Industries has completed a long-term test for its 525 kV cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)-insulated high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable system.

Sumitomo Electric Industries

The cable system was tested in accordance with the international standard CIGRE-TB496 and a third-party certification body has approved the completion of the test.

According to Sumitomo, this system is capable of operating at 90°C and transmitting large capacities exceeding 2 GW, thanks to the unique cable insulation technology using DC-XLPE compound and special fillers.

Furthermore, the cable system has been qualified with flexible factory joint, offshore joint, and transition joint to onshore cable, expected to allow a better solution to projects which require long-distance and large-capacity power transmission.

At the beginning of the year, Sumitomo Electric Industries and Seaway 7 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to provide subsea cable engineering, procurement, installation, and commissioning (EPIC) services for offshore wind projects in Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The collaboration is planned to enable the provision of a unique service to meet the need for a one-stop-shop EPIC submarine cable solution for the regional offshore wind market.

The Japanese company recently also concluded a contract with Samsung C&T Corporation for the delivery of HVDC submarine cables for the first subsea HVDC network in the Middle East.