CIGRE-Session 2012

European policy drivers exist to improve the design and deployment of power cable systems in transmission networks, particularly the whole life cycle of future low carbon networks. As part of a new power cable development project called SUSCABLE, a new high temperature and recyclable thermoplastic blend HV power cable has been proposed and a new approach has been developed to carry out integrated assessment of multiple performance factors. From materials selection and cable manufacture to cable rating in common deployment situations, along with network constraint and life cycle assessment, the outputs were integrated to enable the whole life performance of the newly proposed cables to be critically assessed. This is the first time such an approach to integrated performance assessment has been carried out. LEETS is a methodology and software tool which brings together these multiple assessments and enables comparison of different cable technologies, their manufacture and deployment with account of the local environmental and end of life management options. This method is ideally suited to carrying out assessments in response to the requirements of various stakeholders, be it the materials supplier, the cable manufacturer or the utility deploying and operating the cable. High voltage cables typically use XLPE as the dielectric but it is energy intensive to produce and difficult to manufacture and recycle. New cable designs utilizing new thermoplastic blend insulation materials are capable of operating at higher conductor temperatures, are not cross-linked, and offer significant economic and environmental benefits across the complete life cycle. This paper will illustrate, through the use of a new LEETS-Cable model, how alternative cable systems can be compared across the whole life cycle including manufacture, deployment, operation and end of life management. The paper will discuss how potential benefits are assessed using the model which integrates cable rating and system studies with account of the deployment environment for cable operation under both continuous and fault conditions