U.D.C. 621.315.28[599.25]:621.315.211.3.027.813.

Leyte-Bohol Interconnection, 138 kV Oil-filled Submarine Cable Project in the Philippines

Osamu Matsunaga* Kazuhira Harada* Yoichi Maki* Eisuke Suda* Masatoshi Sakamaki* ABSTRACT: In July 1999, Hitachi Cable, Ltd. was awarded a 138 kV submarine power cable project for the delivery of electric power from Leyte Island to Bohol Island in the Philippines. The project required four 138 kV submarine power cables to be manufactured in continuous lengths of 18 km each without factory joints, one optical fiber submarine cable, one 15 kV XLPE submarine cable, 138 kV and 69 kV overhead lines and substations. After careful investigation and thorough planning based on the route survey results, the cables were installed along the optimum cable route and the cable protection work was done for the shore part.

[1]INTRODUCTION In 2000, four single-core 138 kV oil-filled submarine cables were installed across the Canigao Channel between the islands of Leyte and Lapinig, which is a small island near Bohol Island in the Philippines, as part of the LEYTE-BOHOL INTERCONNECTION PROJECT, which includes 18 km of optical fiber submarine cable, 1.2 km of 15 kV XLPE submarine cable, 138 kV and 69 kV overhead lines and substations. Figure 1 shows the cable route. Electrical power generated by a geothermal power plant located on Leyte Island will be delivered to Bohol Island, where electric power demand has been rapidly increasing. After careful investigation and route survey, the cables were installed along the optimum cable route using dynamic positioning vessel and the cable protection work was done for the shore part. In addition, since the overhead lines and substations were spread over the entire area of the islands, precise project control was required. [2]ROUTE SURVEY A detailed route survey was done to set the final cable route. Since there are rocky areas along the route, the seabed survey had to cover a wide area. Therefore, a multi-beam echo sounder was used instead of a single-beam echo sounder in order to cover a wide area in a short time. This sounder can cover a seabed area that is twice of the depth of water. After careful investigation of the seabed features, the optimum cable routes were selected within the allowable cable corridor so as to keep away from rocky areas and mangroves as much as possible.

The maximum water depth is approximately 60 m, and the tidal current speed is a maximum of 2 knots. To find out the existing optical fiber submarine cable crossing in the route, we used an under water camera that was hanged down from the vessel.

18 16 14 12 10 8
PROJECT SITE LUZON

PHILIPPINES

MINDANAO

6 116118120122124126128

LEYTE Guadalupe CTS

BOHOL

Tugas CTS

Hitaka Works, Electric Wires & Cables Group, Hitachi Cable, Ltd.

Fig. 1-Project Site When completed, the project will deliver electric power from Leyte Island to Bohol Island.

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[3]CABLE AND ACCESSORIES The 138 kV oil-filled submarine cables shown in Fig. 2 were designed for the following system parameters. (1) Rated voltage 138 kV (2) Impulse withstand voltage 650 kV (3) Transmission capacity 85 MW at 80% power factor (4) Short circuit current Max. 21 kA for 3 s The submarine cables were produced in continuous lengths of approximately 18 km each without factory joints at Minato Works of Hitachi Cable, Ltd.. After testing, the completed cables were loaded onto a chartered transportation vessel at the private berth. To cope with the large variation in oil volume due to thermal expansion in the long cables, bellows-type oil pressure tanks were selected. Since no suitable access roads for delivery of large pieces of accessories (such as, oil pressure tanks and porcelain insulators), existed during installation, a landing craft, which could directly land from offshore to onshore, was used.

[4]INSTALLATION 4.1 Shore Trenching and Protection To avoid damage from fishing activities, the submarine cables were buried 1.5 m under the seabed at water depths of up to 10 m and protected by cast iron pipes at water depths of from 10 to 20 m. The backhoe dredger shown in Fig. 3 was used to excavate the shore trench up to a depth of 10 m, including crush of hard bedrock on the cable route (Fig. 4). In case that the trench excavation was done using a normal backhoe from onshare, the trenching can be done up to a depth of only 5 m, so we loaded the backhoe dredger onto a barge and transported it from Japan to Philippines by using a transportation vessel with a heavy derrick. A giant breaker and ripper for crushing hard bedrock were attached to the extension arm of the backhoe dredger.

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3 4 5 6 7 8
Fig. 3-Backhoe Dredger The cable trench was excavated by backhoe dredger.

1 Oil duct 2 Conductor 3 4 5 6 7 8

Inner Diameter Size Shape Insulation Material Thickness Metallic sheath Material Thickness Reinforcement Material Thickness Anti-corrosion sheath Material Thickness Anti-teredo protection Material Thickness Steel wire armour Cable outer diameter Cable weight

Nom. 21 mm 1-core 300 mm 2 Stranded hollow Insulation paper tape Ave. 12.83 mm Copper-tellurium lead alloy Ave. 3.5 mm Stainless steel tape Nom. 0.15 mmx2 Extruded polyethylene Ave. 5.0 mm Brass tape Nom. 0.1 mmx2 Nom. 6.05 mmx1 layer Approx. 104 mm Approx. 28 kg/m

Fig. 2-138 kV 1x300 mm2 Oil-filled Submarine Cable The cables were manufactured in continuous lengths of 18 km each without factory joints.

Fig. 4-View of the Trench in the Rocky Area Hard bedrock had to be crushed by a backhoe dredger.

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4.2 Cable Laying The cable laying operation was scheduled for March, April and May, in which the calmest weather and sea conditions were expected. We hired the dynamic positioning vessel Miss Marie (Fig. 5). This vessel can keep her position without anchoring and move along the planned route. It was equipped with the necessary riggings for cable laying (cable tower, cable ladder, cable breaking device, winches, control room, etc.) in Singapore. The four 138 kV oil-filled submarine cables, optical fiber cable and 15 kV XLPE submarine cable were transported by cargo vessel to the site where they were transferred to the laying vessel by using a rotating sheave (Fig. 6). After the trial run, the cable laying work started from the Leyte side, which has a long shallow shore. The laying vessel hovered at around 8 m water depth and the submarine cable was paid out after attaching floating tubes to it while was on

deck. A turning point on the cable landing route in the shallow water area could not be avoided (to preserve a mangrove area), therefore, apart from pulling at the head of the cable, the floating submarine cable was bond-pulled at the corner by using a winch with a wire rope attached along the submarine cable (Fig. 7). After the landing operation, the laying vessel proceeded along the planned cable route by using its DP system, which had the route data. During the cable laying operations, information such as vessel position, vessel speed, cable pay-out speed, cable pay-out angle, and length of cable were displayed in the control room and recorded digitally in real time using specially developed software. After the laying vessel arrived at Bohol side, the submarine cable was cut at the proper length and paid out after attaching floating buoys to it while it was on deck. The end of the cable was pulled by winch toward the landing point and laying work was completed successfully (Fig. 8).

Fig. 5-Laying Vessel The DP Vessel was hired and equipped for cable laying.

Fig. 7-Bond-Pulling The cable landing route has a corner to avoid mangroves. At this location, the floating submarine cable was bond-pulled with a wire rope attached along the submarine cable.

Fig. 6-Transfer of cable from Cargo Vessel to Laying Vessel The submarine cables were transferred from the cargo vessel to the laying vessel by using the rotating sheave at the site.

Fig. 8-Cable Landing Work On shore, the cable was paid out from the laying vessel with the help of floating tubes.

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[5]CONCLUSION Four 138 kV oil-filled submarine power cables were manufactured and installed along the planned route across the channel between Leyte and Bohol Island. The success of this project demonstrates our engineering expertise in executing large-scale submarine cable projects. [6]ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to express their deepest appreciation to the National Power Corporation and all others who rendered generous co-operation in the execution of this project.
Osamu Matsunaga Power Cable Engineering Dept., Hitaka Works. Received a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Waseda University in 1996. Currently engaged in the design of EHV power cables and systems.

Kazuhira Harada Power Cable Engineering Dept., Hitaka Works. Received a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Sophia University in 1984. Currently engaged in the design of EHV power cables and systems.

Yoichi Maki Power Cable Construction Dept., Hitaka Works. Received a B.E. degree in Ocean Industrial Engineering from Tokai University in 1976. Currently engaged in the design of EHV power cable construction.

Eisuke Suda Power Cable construction Dept., Hitaka Works. Received a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kogakuin University in 1993. Currently engaged in the design of EHV power cable construction.

Masatoshi Sakamaki Power Cable accessories & distribution System Dept., Hitaka Works. Received a B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering from Musashi Institute of Technology. Currently engaged in the design of EHV power cable accessories.

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