Notes from Underground Cable Fleet Management

Digital Object Identifi er 10.1109/MPE.2010.938518 © B R A N D X P IC T U R E S , S T O C K B Y T E N NORTH AMERICA HAS A SIGnificant underground electric distribution system that is nearing the end of its design and service life. The cost of global replacement of aging underground facilities is prohibitive. Consequently, utilities require an enterprise approach to managing underground power cable systems (cables, joints, and terminations) in order to develop prudent investment and maintenance practices. Utility power cable fl eets consist of many millions of feet of cable installed under city streets, suburban developments and, in some cases, in the countryside. Utilities have a long underground system history, with some of these systems installed as early as the 1920s. Increasing failure rates on these older systems are now adversely affecting system reliability, and it is readily apparent that something must be done to manage the consequences of this trend. Industry-leading utilities have ap proached this challenge by considering cable assets from a full-life-cycle