Potential Use of Submarine or

Underground Cables for

Long Distance Electricity
Transmission in Manitoba

A Post Bipole III

Concepts Review

Report of the
Concepts Review Panel
March 17, 2011

(Revised April 4th, 2011)

Potential Use of Submarine or
Underground Cables for
Long Distance Electricity
Transmission in Manitoba

A Post Bipole III

Concepts Review

Report of the
Concepts Review Panel
David Farlinger, P.Eng., F.E.I.C.
(Principal, CMC Consultants Inc.) – Panel Chair

Allen MacPhail, P. Eng.

(Principal Engineer, Cabletricity Connections Ltd.)

John Ryan, Ph.D.

(Retired Professor of Geography and Senior Scholar
at the University of Winnipeg)

Ed Tymofichuk, P. Eng.
(Vice President Transmission, Manitoba Hydro)

Paul Wilson, P. Eng.

(Managing Director, Subsidiary Operations,
Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.)

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 1

Revisions
Rev Description Date

1 Finding 12 amended, pages 16 and 103 April 4, 2011

Finding 15 amended, pages 17 and 104

2 - Manitoba Hydro
Third Party Disclaimer

The content of this document is not intended for the use of, nor is it
intended to be relied upon by any person, firm or corporation, other
than Manitoba Hydro.

This document is restricted to the use of Manitoba Hydro. The written

authorization of Manitoba Hydro must be sought regarding any use
of this document.

Manitoba Hydro denies any liability whatsoever to any parties for

damages or injury suffered by such third party arising from the use
of this document by the third party, without the express prior written
authority of Manitoba Hydro.

Copyright © 2011, Manitoba Hydro

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 3

4 - Manitoba Hydro
Acknowledgements
As Chair of the Concepts Review Panel I want to thank and acknowledge the
Panel members’ professionalism, expertise, and diligence in the challenging
work that culminated in this report. Specifically, I would like to thank John
Ryan Ph.D., who through his research and publications put the idea of an
underwater cable on the public agenda and who developed several concepts
for transporting long lengths of cable by train, Allen MacPhail P. Eng., an
internationally recognized expert in high voltage power cable applications,
for his contribution to many areas of the report, as well as Paul Wilson
P. Eng., Managing Director of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd. and Ed
Tymofichuk P. Eng.,Vice President Transmission of Manitoba Hydro who
both brought their extensive experience and expertise in High Voltage Power
Transmission to the Panel and the writing of the report.

I would also like to thank Shane Dew P. Eng. of Manitoba Hydro for his
administrative support and untiring efforts in his role as Administrative
Assistant to the Panel. As well, I wish to extend my thanks to technical staff
of Manitoba Hydro and Manitoba Hydro International for their support
throughout this review, specifically to Jason West for his skillful portrayal
of models illustrating the train transport of submarine cable in long
lengths, to Sarah Wach for drafting the AC and DC route maps for the
report and to Dean Reske for compiling estimates of the cost of various
electrical installations.

David Farlinger P.Eng., F.E.I.C.

Panel Chair

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 5

Table of Contents
Third Party Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Findings and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
2 Transmission Line and Cable Routes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.1 Route 1 AC or DC – Overhead across Cedar Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
2.2 Route 2 AC or DC Underground through Grand Rapids West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
2.3 Route 3 AC or DC Underground East . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.4 Route 4 DC – Submarine and through Eastern Interlake. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2.5 Route 5 DC – Two Segments of Submarine Exiting at Traverse Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
2.6 Route 6 AC – Two Segments of Submarine Exiting at Traverse Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
2.7 Grand Rapids Congestion Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

3 Cable System Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

3.1 Description of Cable Types for Underground Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3.1.1 Laminar, or Lapped Dielectric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
3.1.2 Extruded Dielectric. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
3.2 Description of Cable Types for Submarine Transmission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
3.2.1 Maturity of State-of-Engineering of 500 kV Cable Technologies in Use World-wide Today. . 41
3.2.2 Maturity of 500 kV AC Underground Cable Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.2.3 Maturity of 500 kV AC Submarine Cable Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
3.2.4 Maturity of 500 kV DC Submarine Cable Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2.5 Maturity of 500 kV DC Underground Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
3.2.6 Conclusions about Maturity of 500 kV Underground and Submarine Cable Systems. . . . . . 45
3.3 Performance of AC and DC Cables Operating at 500 kV. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.3.1 Conditions Imposed by the Natural Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
3.3.2 AC Transmission Capacity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
3.3.3 DC Transmission Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
3.3.4 Cable System Reliability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
3.3.5 Life Expectancy of Cable Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3.3.6 Operation and Maintenance Requirements for Cable Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
3.4 Literature Review of Current Research for Further Technological Development of 500 kV Cables . . . . . 59
3.5 System Impacts Considering Long Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3.6 Thermal Properties and Ampacity of Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
3.7 Compensation of Long AC Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

4 Submarine Cable Transportation by Water and Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

4.1 Transporting long lengths of 500 kV AC or DC submarine cable by ship. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
4.2 Transporting long lengths of submarine cable via rail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.3 Transportation of short lengths of submarine or underground cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

5 Cable Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
5.1 Submarine Cable Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

6 - Manitoba Hydro
 5.1.1 Cable Laying Barge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
5.1.2 Submarine Cable Trenching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
5.1.3 Cable Jointing Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
5.1.4 Cable Laying Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
5.1.5 Cable Laying Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
5.2 Underground Cable System Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
5.2.1 Civil Work. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
5.2.2 Cable Transportation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
5.2.3 Cable Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
5.2.4 Cable Jointing and Terminating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

6 Transition and Compensation Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

6.1 Transition Stations – 500 kV AC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
6.2 Transition Stations – 500 kV DC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
6.3 Compensation Stations – 500 kV AC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
6.4 Shore Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
6.5 Ice Scouring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

7 Cost Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
7.1 Interpretation of Estimate Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

8 Regulatory Issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
8.1 Licencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
8.2 Regulatory Issues with Lake Winnipeg Routing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

9 Project Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
9.1 Design Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
9.2 System Operation Risks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
10 Benefits and advantages of underground and submarine cable installations. 101
11 Findings and Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
12 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Appendix 1: Terms of Reference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Appendix 2: Panel Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Appendix 3: Long AC Cable Compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Appendix 4: Cable Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Proposal 1 Transporting long sections of submarine cable by train. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Proposal 2 Transporting Long Lengths of Submarine Cable by Train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Proposal 3 Transporting long sections of DC submarine cable with extruded insulation by train,
coiled on widened flatcars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

Proposal 4 Transporting DC cable with extruded insulation on widened flatcars in a figure 8 pattern. . . . . 139
Appendix 5: 500 kV Global Cable System Applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Appendix 6: Differences Between AC and DC Cable Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Appendix 7: Grand Rapids Bottleneck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155
Appendix 8: Cable Laying Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Appendix 9: Bipole I and Bipole II Reliability, 1993 - 2008. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 7

8 - Manitoba Hydro
Executive Summary
In September 2009, Manitoba Hydro appointed a Concepts Review Panel
to investigate the potential future use of submarine or underground cables
for long distance hydro-electric transmission. This report reviews 500kV AC
and DC submarine and underground concepts for a potential transmission
line extending from the lower Nelson River to the Winnipeg vicinity with no
certainty regarding timing, except it could be a number of years beyond BPIII.

For purposes of this Panel’s review, and for completeness, it was assumed that
this fourth major transmission line from northern generation to southern load
centres could be either DC or AC.

To conceptually examine the use of cables in a post-Bipole III link, six

illustrative routes were developed. One route is an all overhead line and
serves as the base reference case while the five others each employ a segment
or segments of submarine or underground cable along with overhead lines,
and are referred to as hybrid lines. Significant additional engineering research
and study would be required to confirm the merits and validity of one or
more of the conceptual routes employing cables, or to determine possibly
superior routes. Details of the routes studied in this report are described in
the following Tables 1 and 2, and are shown on Maps 1 and 2 accompanying
the report, as well as Figures 1 through 6.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 9

Table 1: Cable Route Option Length and Number

OH Route Total UG Submarine Submarine Total Submarine

Route UG Route UG Cable
Mode Length Cable Route Cable Cable Length
Option Length (km) Numbers
(km) Length (km) Length (km) Numbers (km)

1 AC OH 1273 0 0

1 DC OH 1273 0 0

OH-UG
2 AC 1025 175 4 700
Hybrid
OH-UG
2 DC 1025 175 3 525
Hybrid
OH-UG
3 AC 830 263 4 1052
Hybrid
OH-UG
3 DC 830 263 3 789
Hybrid
OH-Sub
4 DC 812 178 3 534
Hybrid
OH-Sub
5 DC 704 287 3 861
Hybrid
OH-Sub
6 AC 703 240 4 960
Hybrid

10 - Manitoba Hydro
Table 2: Transmission Line Route Details
Route Advantages
1 This would be an AC or DC overhead line with no
underground or submarine cable and no cable-
AC or DC related reactive compensation equipment and
thus inherently more reliable.
A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection
between northern generation and the southern
system would strengthen the AC system in the
south.
2 After connecting to the Grand Rapids
underground cable, the overhead line would be at
AC or DC least 50 km away from Bipole I-II all the way to the
Winnipeg area.
No novel transport methods required.
A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection
between northern generation and the southern
system would strengthen the AC system in the
south.
3 No novel transport methods required.
AC or DC
4 There would be adequate lake sediment for the
entire length of the submarine cable, thus no
DC mechanical barrier protection required for the
submarine cable (no rock cutting, rock dumping,
or protective mattresses).
5 There would be adequate lake sediment for the
entire length of the submarine cable thus no
DC mechanical barrier protection required for the
submarine cable (no rock cutting, rock dumping,
or protective mattresses.)
Disadvantages
Requires two long overhead spans between islands and mainland
of about one km in Cedar Lake.
Location of “island hops” less than 20 km from Bipole I-II at Grand
Rapids.
Permission is required for overhead line to cross about 20 km of
“protected area” park along the east shore of Lake Winnipegosis.
Permission is required for overhead line to cross about 20 km of
“protected area” park along the east shore of Lake Winnipegosis.
500 kV AC cable systems of this length have never been installed
anywhere in the world. The impacts on the transmission system
are not known and need more study.
Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed for AC
alternative.
A tunnel would be required at Grand Rapids.
The overhead line would be less than 30 km from Bipole I-II as it
goes around the Peguis Reserve.
500 kV AC cable systems of this length have never been installed
anywhere in the world. The impacts on the transmission system
are not known and need more study.
Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed for AC
alternative.
To get to the Warren Landing site, the OH line from the Nelson
River Generating Area would have to cross the Nelson River with
a long span of about 1 km.
The OH line would be less than 30 km from Bipole I-II as it goes
around the Peguis Reserve east of Lake St. Martin.
Dredging of the lake bottom and river at Powerview/Pine Falls
may be required for barge access to rail siding.
Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.
To get to the Warren Landing site, the OH line from Nelson River
Generating Area would have to cross the Nelson River with a long
span of about 1 km.
Dredging of the lake bottom and river at Powerview/Pine Falls
may be required for barge access to rail siding.
Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 11
Table 2 (continued)
Route Advantages
6 A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection
between northern generation and the southern
AC system would strengthen the AC system in the
south.
Performance of AC and DC cables operating at
500kV in other commercial projects is examined
along with cable system reliability and life
expectancy. With respect to AC or DC submarine
cables, because of lack of data, it is not possible
to accurately determine failure rates. Despite this,
in the case of DC MI cables, it should be expected
that they would experience some faults during
their lifetime. With regard to DC XLPE cables,
there is still no 500 kV cable system in service
and the expected date of maturity for
this cable is at least 15 years away, hence at
this stage it has no failure rate. As for AC
XLPE underground cable, a cable failure may
be expected approximately every 3 to 11 years
depending on route length. For DC XLPE
underground cable, a cable failure may be
expected approximately every 4 to 17 years
depending on route length. However, the
Panel recognizes that there is a great deal of
variability in these results due to the lack of
quality data. The prime reason for this is
that the electrical power industry has limited
service experience on 500 kV underground or
submarine cables.
12 - Manitoba Hydro
Disadvantages
There is little sediment along the entire east shore of Lake
Winnipeg, extending in places for about 30 km off shore.
Throughout this area the lake bottom has rough rocky terrain.
Because of the required short lengths of AC cable, about 200
km of AC cable would have to be laid near the shore on this
unfavourable terrain. Because of the lack of sediment, the
cable would have to be covered by rock dumping or protective
mattresses. Only the 50 km line from Riverton to Traverse Bay
would be covered by sediment.
500 kV AC cables of this length have never been installed
anywhere in the world. The impacts on the transmission system
are not known and require further study.
Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed.
Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.
Very complex operating a hybrid link with these components.
Table 3 illustrates the worst case and best case
cable service reliability based on known CIGRE
survey data for all cables except AC and DC
submarine cables. The best case uses only
internal failures while the worst case takes into
account external failure statistics. The Panel
acknowledges that these worst case failure rates
may be overly pessimistic.
Table 3: Estimated Cable System Failure Frequency Ranges
(Worst case – Best case)
Failure Frequency Failure Frequency
Route Option
Installation
Range (No Long Trains) Range (Long Trains)
Mode
(years) (years)
Line 2 AC Land 4.2 – 10.8
Line 2 DC Land 6.1 – 16.6
Line 3 AC Land 2.8 – 7.1
Line 3 DC Land 4.1 – 11.1
Line 4 DC1 Water ? ?
Line 5 DC 1
Water ? ?
Line 6 AC1 Water ? ?
Note 1: A Failure Frequency Range for routes 4, 5 and 6 cannot be
determined because of lack of data.
Maturity of cable types and systems for AC and long lengths of up to 100 km by train (in two
DC submarine and underground transmission approximately 50 km lengths), and off-loaded
were reviewed. ‘Maturity’ of cable systems in 2010 to a barge on Lake Winnipeg or nearby storage
and as forecast for 2025, are summarized in turntables. Four rail transportation concepts
Table 4. were developed. The concept considered by
the Panel to have the best potential for future
Table 4: Cable options and upper voltage limits for ‘mature’ success is described further in this report. The
AC and DC underground or submarine applications in 2010 panel concludes that transportation of long
and 2025 continuous lengths of cable using multiple rail flat
cars would need
Unpressurized Unpressurized Unpressurized
to be carefully
Unpressurized researched
Mass Impregnated Cross-Linked Cross-Linked
Mass Impregnated
Cable Application
MI Polyethylene Polyethylene and studied by
MI
XLPE XLPE railway engineers
and cable
2010 2010 2025 2025 manufacturing
experts. Feasibility
AC Underground Not Applicable 500 kV Not Applicable 600 kV
is not yet proven.
AC Submarine Not Applicable 420 kV Not Applicable 500 kV
Installation of
DC Underground 450 kV 150 kV 600 kV 500 kV
both submarine
DC Submarine 450 kV 150 kV 600 kV 500 kV and underground
cables is discussed
in the report. A comparison of using continuous
It can be assumed that XLPE insulation cables long lengths of cable versus shorter lengths of
will be available for AC and DC underground and cable on reels for submarine applications is also
submarine applications in 2025. MI insulation discussed, in the event that train transportation of
cables will also continue to be available for long cables is shown to be unrealistic.
submarine cable applications in 2025 for
DC. Costs and reliability data in 2025 would Risks and regulatory issues associated with
ultimately determine final submarine cable type use of submarine cables in Lake Winnipeg
selection. are numerous and extensive as they relate to
initial installations, operation, maintenance,
System design impacts resulting from the use transmission line reliability, system reliability and
of long cables are discussed. High voltage reactive to the environment. These include:
compensation devices are necessary to enable • Complex licensing and regulatory issues
maximum transmission of power through long • Loss in system reliability due to a failed
AC cables and to control voltage, which could cable (mitigatable using spare cables and
otherwise exceed equipment and cable ratings special mechanical protection).
under some operating conditions. For DC cable • Costly manufacturer warranties due
systems compensation devices are not necessary. to remote locations and unproven rail
transportation
Transportation concepts were developed, • Lengthy route siting process
whereby cables would be transported by ship • Complex system operations for hybrid
from an overseas manufacturing facility to a overhead-submarine or overhead-
port in Canada, transferred and transported in underground systems

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 13

 • Possible failure of joints and terminations
when exposed to extremely low ambient
temperatures (-40°C and below)
• Cable quality at point of manufacture and
at point of delivery
• Possible cable damage due to abnormal
number of multiple transfers and
handling of cables between factory and
installation
• Cable integrity after laying in water in un-
energized state for several years prior to
commercial use
• Possible in-service damage due to lake
bottom ice scouring, shoreline erosion
and other natural hazards
• Environmental impacts due to trenching
hundreds of kilometres of lake bottom
• Installation delays due to adverse weather
conditions on Lake Winnipeg
Table 5: Cost Comparisons (labour and material only)
Cable laying seasons for AC submarine cables
could be as long as three summers. For DC
submarine cables, installation may take 1.5 to 2.5
summers depending on route. Using cable on
reels instead of long train transportation could
double this installation time.
Manufacturing capacity of two submarine or
underground cable suppliers may be required to
meet this schedule.
Concept costs are estimated and summarized in
the following Table 5 extracted from the report.
Important assumptions are listed beneath the
table.

Route Lengths Cost

(km) Cost
Premium
Route Type Description Estimate
Over- Cable above Base
Total (M$)
head System (M$)

1 DC All overhead via Cedar Lake 1,273 0 1,273 635 (DC Base)

O/H with U/G along east side of Lake

2 DC 1,025 175 1,200 1,076 444
Winnipegosis

O/H with U/G along west side of Lake

3 DC 830 263 1,092 1,236 601
Winnipeg

O/H along west side of Lake Winnipeg

4 DC with submarine section (long length 812 178 990 995 360
shipping)

O/H with two submarine sections

5 DC exiting at Traverse Bay (long length 704 287 991 1,319 684
shipping)

1 AC All overhead via Cedar Lake 1,273 0 1,273 809 (AC Base)

O/H with U/G along east side of Lake

2 AC 1,025 175 1,200 1,942 1,133
Winnipegosis

O/H with U/G along west side of Lake

3 AC 830 263 1,092 2,387 1,579
Winnipeg

O/H with two submarine sections

6 AC exiting at Traverse Bay (long length 703 240 993 2,268 1,459
shipping)

14 - Manitoba Hydro
Assumptions and notes:
1. Costs are expressed in 2010 CAD dollars.
2. 500 kV AC overhead line is single circuit capable of
1000 MW.
3. 500 kV DC overhead line is similar to Bipole I-II
construction.
4. DC underground cables are XLPE.
5. DC submarine cables are MI due to maturity
6. AC underground cables are XLPE.
7. AC submarine cables are XLPE.
8. For underground options, cables would be shipped
from Thunder Bay to site by truck (4.0km cable/truck
for DC; 1.8 km cable/truck for AC).
9. For submarine options with no long train shipping,
cables would be shipped from Thunder Bay to
Powerview/Pine Falls by rail (1.8 km cable/car for DC;
1.2 km cable/car for AC).
10. For submarine options with long train shipping,
cables would be shipped from Montreal, Prince
Rupert or Vancouver, a maximum distance of about
2500 km.
11. MH Project Management and Engineering costs not
included.
12. Contingencies not included.
13. Interest during construction not included.
14. Insurance for cable transportation not included.
15. Converter costs for DC alternatives not included.
16. Static VAR compensator for AC alternatives not
included.
17. Cable manufacturing capacity is assumed available.
18. Taxes and import duties not included.
19. Estimates are Class 5, as defined by AACE
International, to be used only for concept screening
purposes with low project definition. Class 5
estimates typically have accuracies in the following
range:
Low: -20% to -50%
High: -30% to +100 %”
20. All estimates contain only labour and material.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 15

Findings and Conclusions
1. System studies indicate that with Bipole III
(LCC) in service, the Manitoba Hydro power
system would experience network frequency
stability problems with an additional LCC
HVDC transmission link. Therefore it is very
unlikely that a fourth HVDC (LCC) bipole
would be implemented in Manitoba [19].
2. The same studies have concluded that
additional north-south 500 kV AC
transmission would be recommended to
integrate the next major northern generation
plant [19].
3. With current cable technology and unproven
cable transportation methods, an AC
submarine cable under Lake Winnipeg is not
a viable option at this time.
4. Assuming in the foreseeable future that
the Manitoba Hydro system develops to
accommodate a fourth Bipole of any mode
(overhead or hybrid), and together with
further research and technological advances, a
DC submarine or underground cable may be
a viable option.
5. Future transmission development
should proceed on the basis of overhead,
underground and submarine in that order of
preference. Studies and circumstances at the
time would determine the actual choice.
6. Once all overhead and underground options
have been exhausted, further research on long
length cable transportation by train, related
transportation handling and installation may
be initiated.
7. Based on years of operating experience with
long transmission lines in Manitoba, an
overhead transmission line should have a
higher reliability than a hybrid line.
8. A hybrid 500 kV AC line with several cable
sections and associated multiple transition
and compensation stations would be difficult
to operate.
16 - Manitoba Hydro
9. A hybrid 500 kV AC line may degrade system
reliability, as compared to an overhead line.
This potential degraded level of reliability
may impact the reputation and value of
Manitoba Hydro’s product.
10. An underground AC or DC cable system
failure can be expected approximately once
every 3 to 17 years. A lack of meaningful
industry data for AC and DC submarine
cables prevents determination of statistical
failure rates.
11. The repair time for underground cables
is considerably less than for submarine
cables. A spare cable for submarine and
underground options would minimize forced
outage times.
12. All hybrid options have cost premiums
compared to overhead lines. Any of the
solutions using cables result in incremental
cost increases of about $0.36B and could be as
high as $1.58B, assuming that long submarine
cables could be successfully transported by
train.
A reference of cost premiums for submarine
cabling over an equivalent length of overhead
line is presented in Section 7, Table 20: Cost
Premiums for Equivalent Line Lengths.
These are represented as ratios:
submarine segment (cost per route km)
overhead segment (cost per route km)
For Route 4 DC the ratio is 6.6, for 5 DC
it is 6.8 and for Route 6 AC it is 11.9. This
means that on an equivalent length basis
the submarine options are 6.6 to 11.9 times
costlier than an overhead line.
These estimates and ratios that express the
premiums include labour and material only.
13. Routing through Grand Rapids would require
detailed engineering studies. Underground
segments, including a tunnel, are required
to alleviate issues with congestion and
proximity to existing Bipole lines.
14. With present technology, estimates indicate
that short length submarine cables shipped
on reels would take twice as long to splice
22. VSC HVDC technology, if only implemented
and lay compared to long train shipping
methods. Using reels for shipping submarine
cable would be more expensive, impractical
and is not recommended.
15. The least costly hybrid DC or AC route would
be approximately 1.5 and 2.8 times more
expensive respectively, than the base case
overhead route, assuming long train shipping
is feasible.
21. The life expectancy of an overhead line is
approximately 100 years. Life expectancy
for an underground or submarine cable is
approximately 40 to 50 years. Therefore a
complete cable system replacement could be
anticipated about half way through the life of
overhead line sections.
as a future fourth HVDC Bipole transmission
line, would not improve the vulnerability to
common mode faults. Assuming that there
are no technological developments or system
developments that would remove system
constraints to allow a fourth Bipole and given
the operating complexities and reliability
risks of a hybrid AC transmission line, an
overhead AC line should be considered first.

16. The base case DC overhead line is the most

23. With a low probability of HVDC being
economic option, despite being longer than
implemented, and the costs, reliability,
other DC conceptual routes. A base case AC
complexity and operating difficulties
overhead line would cost approximately 27%
associated with hybrid AC lines, the preferred
more than the base case DC overhead line.
post-Bipole III option is therefore overhead
17. Installation time of DC submarine cable 500 kV AC.
would range between 2 to 3 years, depending
on route alternative and assuming long train
transportation. For AC submarine cable it
would be about 4 years.

18. The complete manufacturing capacity of two

cable suppliers may be required to meet this
schedule for submarine cables.

19. The world’s ocean going cable laying fleet

does not have access to Lake Winnipeg. A
suitably equipped cable laying barge would
need to be constructed locally and launched.

20. A dock and cable handling facilities would

need to be constructed on a Lake Winnipeg
harbour.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 17

18 - Manitoba Hydro
Foreword
This report explores and reviews 500 kV AC
and DC submarine and underground cable
application concepts for a possible post-Bipole
III 1000 MW transmission line from the lower
Nelson River to southern Manitoba. The new link
is not expected to be required before 2025, based
on domestic load growth forecasts.
Some of the concepts include application of
cable technologies at voltage levels higher
than presently commercially available. They
also include untested and unproven methods
of transporting long continuous lengths of
submarine cables on trains to Lake Winnipeg.
Although some concepts could be considered
unproven and risky today, there are reasonable
probabilities of development prior to 2025. The
Concept Review Panel’s Terms of Reference did
not include investigating and describing how a
hybrid AC or DC transmission line with overhead
and cable segments would be reliably integrated
into the existing power grid.
In order to better develop, explain and evaluate
the various concepts, transmission line routes
were defined for comparison purposes. These
routes are by no means final and should be
considered as illustrative only. No field work
was conducted for any of the example routes.
Furthermore, the Panel did not concern itself
with the preliminary preferred routing of
Bipole III.1
The report contents reflect the consensus of
the panel members. Because of the speculative
nature of future cable technology development,
uncertainty about future routes and limited
Terms of Reference to provide engineering detail,
the report must be considered as conceptual in
nature.

Many long submarine cable links in other parts

of the world are primarily for opportunity sales
of electricity (merchant trade) between countries.
But the main purpose of an additional north-
south link in Manitoba would be to serve the
domestic load in a reliable and economical
manner. In addition, most, if not all other long
submarine cable links are in salt water bodies not
subject to freezing. However, Lake Winnipeg’s
surface is frozen during winter, making repairs
impractical for approximately six months of the
year. Therefore, consequences of a submarine
cable failure may not be as critical elsewhere
in the world as in Lake Winnipeg. It is also
significant that there have been no significant
Extra High Voltage submarine cable applications
anywhere in the world, where ocean-going
freighters or cable laying vessels did not have ease
of access.
1
The preliminary preferred routing for Bipole III was
announced on July 29, 2010.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 19

20 - Manitoba Hydro
Glossary
AC Alternating electric current that
is a periodic function of time.
Ampacity The maximum value of electric
current which can be carried
continuously by a conductor, a
device or an apparatus, under
specified conditions without
its steady-state temperature
exceeding a specified value.
Bipole A common HVDC transmission
configuration where a pair of
conductors is used, each at a
high potential with respect to
ground, in opposite polarity.
Capacitive The coupling between electric
Effect or circuit elements, by which a
Coupling voltage between the terminals
of one of them gives rise to
an electric charge in another
element
Coil To wind into continuous
regularly spaced series of rings,
one adjacent to the other where
allowed. A coil produces a twist
in the cable.
Compensation A special purpose substation
Station to provide reactive power
compensation to high voltage
underground, submarine, or
overhead AC transmission lines.
DC A continuous flow of current
that is not periodic as a function
of time.
EHV Extra High Voltage - the voltage
range between 220 kV and 500
kV
Fault The state of an item
characterized by inability to
perform a required function
Fault Level The amount of fault current
available at a particular location
on an electrical network,
measured in MVA or kA.
Fetch The distance a wind blows
unobstructed over water,
especially as a factor affecting
the build-up of waves.
Hybrid line A transmission line that is a
combination of overhead and
underground or submarine
sections.
Joint A splice or joining of two
underground or submarine
cables forming a continuous
current carrying path that
maintains the electrical and
insulation integrity.
LCC HVDC transmission using
Line Commutated Converters.
Changing power flow direction
requires polaritry reversal.
Monopole Is a common HVDC
transmission configuration.
One of the terminals of the
rectifier is connected to earth
ground and the other terminal,
at a potential high above or
below ground, is connected to
a transmission line. The earthed
terminal may be connected to
the corresponding connection at
the inverting station by means of
a second conductor.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 21
Reactor Two-terminal device VSC HVDC transmission using
characterized essentially by its Voltage Sourced Converters
inductance. where AC is converted to a
DC voltage, or DC voltage is
Reactive Devices or systems that provide converted to AC. Unlike LCC
Power reactive power in high voltage converters, VSC converters can
Compensation AC networks to control voltage change power flow direction
and optimize the transmission without polarity reversal.
of power.

Reeling To wind cable on to adjacent

spools directly from one
to another. A reel does not
produce any twists in the cable.

Short Circuit The highest electric current

Capacity which can exist in a particular
electrical system under
short circuit conditions. It is
determined by the voltage
and impedance of the supply
system, affected by switching
configurations.

Termination Specially prepared cable end

providing a seal to the external
environment, maintaining
internal cable pressure, if any,
and controlling electrical stress
for the transition between
cable and external insulations
(usually to air in the case of
outdoor terminations).

Transition A substation dedicated to

Station management of the transition
from overhead to underground
or submarine cables.

22 - Manitoba Hydro
1 Introduction
The subject of this report is the use of submarine
or underground power cables as part of a fourth
major north – south 500 kV transmission line
in Manitoba. Bipoles I, II, and the planned
Bipole III comprise the first three major north-
south transmission links. The fourth, post-Bipole
III line is not expected to be required before
approximately 2025, based on domestic load
growth forecasts and system reliability needs.
All activities related to the generation,
transmission and distribution of electricity in
Manitoba are governed by the Manitoba Hydro Act
and the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board, which
oversees the operations of the Manitoba Hydro
Corporation. The Board is appointed by the
Provincial Government.
Manitoba Hydro’s mission is “to provide for the
continuance of a supply of energy to meet the
needs of the province and to promote economy
and efficiency in the development, generation,
transmission, distribution, supply and end-use of
energy.”
In Manitoba approximately 70% of all power
generated in the province is transmitted from
the north via two high voltage 500 kV direct
current (DC) lines. They share a common right-
of-way, which is a reliability concern. Each line
is approximately 900 km long, from two sites on
the Nelson River to the Dorsey converter station
just northwest of Winnipeg.
Manitoba Hydro is presently designing a third
DC line (Bipole III) and activities have been
well documented over the past several years
[18]. Routing of this transmission line, critical to
Manitoba’s electricity reliability and security, has
been controversial. Although initially there was
preference to route the line east of Lake Winnipeg
for economical, technical, and reliability reasons,
the Provincial Government’s decision to protect
this boreal forest region, precluded a route east
of the lake. In 2008 Manitoba Hydro began a
lengthy process of environmental assessments to
locate a route generally west of Lake Manitoba
and Lake Winnipegosis. An ‘Interlake Route’
between Lake Winnipegosis and Lake Winnipeg
was considered, but weather risk assessment
studies showed that: “…locating the Bipole III
transmission line on the East Route or West Route
would significantly reduce the likelihood that all
three lines would be exposed to the same extreme
weather conditions, compared to locating Bipole
III on the Interlake Route.” “In summary, the
larger the separation distance between the lines,
the greater the reduction of common event risk.”
[2].
The receipt of a licence for Bipole III is scheduled
and expected in the fall of 2012. Bipole III is
scheduled to be in service five years later.
Concepts for possibly implementing the post-
Bipole III link using submarine or underground
cable segments are discussed in this report.
The fourth major transmission link will be to
accommodate the Gillam Island generating
station, a 900 MW development.
In early 2008, retired University of Winnipeg
geography professor Dr. John Ryan wrote several
articles promoting the idea of installing a portion
of the Bipole III line under Lake Winnipeg. He
generally explored the feasibility of transporting
and installing long sections of submarine cables
in a land-locked lake, inaccessible by specialized
ocean-going cable laying vessels [12]. Dr. Ryan
proposed a concept of using long trains with
specially modified flat cars linked to hold long
cable lengths in a continuous looping method.
The cable would arrive by ship from a factory at
a port such as Thunder Bay, Montreal, Vancouver
or Prince Rupert and be transferred to a special
unit train, transported to the Lake Winnipeg
area, off-loaded onto a specially built barge
equipped for cable laying, and subsequently
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 23
installed on the lake bottom. The complete
process would need to be validated by submarine
cable manufacturing and installation experts, as
well as professional railway engineers. The risks
associated with transportation, multiple handling
and laying of cables, as well as future reliability,
maintenance and repairing of the cables in the
middle of Lake Winnipeg are identified in this
report.
Besides technical problems, risks and costs
associated with unproven submarine cable
transportation systems, there are additional
complexities because some possible route
alternatives could make partial use of
underground cables instead of submarine cables.
They would avoid difficulties associated with
overhead lines and geographical restrictions, for
example through the congested Grand Rapids
area.
Historically, Manitoba Hydro and other utilities
around the world have built high voltage
transmission lines overhead, provided land for
rights-of-way was available. Such designs, using
AC or DC transmission, are the most economical
method of transporting bulk electric power
over long distances and have a proven record of
acceptable reliability at minimum cost. Today
the highest voltage overhead line in the world is
in China. It operates at +/-800 kV DC and was
commissioned in June 2010. There are many
765 kV AC overhead lines operating in the world
including in Quebec and the United States.
In congested urban areas where AC systems
dominate and overhead systems are impractical,
transmission lines have been placed
underground. For water crossings beyond the
reach of overhead lines, AC submarine cables
are used. 500 kV AC submarine cable systems
spanning distances of approximately 30 km
and using pressurized insulations, have been in
service for over 25 years.
24 - Manitoba Hydro
Where wide water bodies separate regions by more
than 50 to 75 km, AC transmission at the 400
to 500 kV level is usually not feasible. However,
DC submarine cable systems provide practical
alternatives. The highest operating voltage
submarine DC cables in Canada are the +/-300
kV Vancouver Island cables, commissioned in
1969 and 1975 (total cable length = 5 x 32 km).
The highest operating voltage DC underground
cables in Canada are the +/- 450 kV cables in
the Radisson-Nicollet tunnel link under the St.
Lawrence River in Quebec, commissioned in 1992
(total cable length = 6 x 5.1 km). The highest
voltage DC submarine cable in North America is
the 500 kV Neptune link between New Jersey and
Long Island, New York, commissioned in 2007
(total cable length = 1 x 105  km).
The Manitoba Hydro system presently has one of
the highest penetrations of high voltage DC into
a local AC network in the world. With the future
development of Keeyask and Conawapa, the three
bipole system could be loaded up to 5500 MW.
Because of the tight electrical coupling between
the HVdc converters, a fault in the northern AC
collection system, or in the southern Manitoba
AC network, can cause the temporary loss of all
the DC power for the duration of the fault. This
temporary loss of power causes the frequency
of the southern system to decay rapidly during
the fault due to the low inertia in the southern
Manitoba network. Inertia is normally provided
by nearby synchronous generators but in the
case of Manitoba it is also provided by local
synchronous condensers. The susceptibility of the
HVdc bipoles to interruption in power delivery
due to an AC fault places a limit on the HVdc
penetration level in southern Mantioba. Studies
have demonstrated that the addition of Bipole III,
loaded with Keeyask and Conawapa generation,
increases the DC to that penetration limit. As
a result, there appears to be many reliability
advantages if a post Bipole III north-south link
was developed at 500 kV AC, rather than DC [19].
With these technical, political and economic
issues in focus, Manitoba Hydro appointed a
Concepts Review Panel, to examine the potential
use of 500 kV submarine and underground cables
for long distances in Manitoba. The detailed
Terms of Reference of the Panel (i.e. Purpose of
the Panel and Items of Concern) are contained in
Appendix 1 and summarized below.
• Discuss feasibility of underground and
underwater 500 kV cables for possible use
in a future North-South Transmission line
in Manitoba, post Bipole III.
• Review maturity of the state-of-engineering
of 500 kV cable technologies in use world-
wide today.
• Research performance of cables operating
at 500 kV.
• Research the causes of failure of 500kV
cable systems world-wide.
• Review the literature on current cable
research for 500 kV cables and the effects
of very long cable lengths on the power
system.
• Discuss concepts for transporting very
long sections of cable on land and over
landlocked inland waterways.
• Identify the concept with the highest
feasibility for long-length transportation
and installation that may need to be
advanced for further research and
investigation by world experts.
• Address cost implications of any concepts
that may have merit.
Membership of the Panel is described in
Appendix 2.
In order to achieve the Panel’s mandate, members
collectively and conceptually investigated cable
transportation methods by rail and road, possible
cable system types and implications of applying
them to illustrative transmission routes for
comparison purposes. The concepts review and
report is not about routing or route selection
as the routes depicted in this report are for
illustrative purposes only. Example routes were
comprised of an overhead line, and several hybrid
lines with segments of overhead and submarine
or underground cables.
With these example routes established, scenarios
could be conceptually engineered, characterized
and ranked in terms of cost and performance.
Cable system performance issues were explored to
determine their present maturity and anticipated
failure rates when applied to the example route
scenarios in 2025.
A detailed discussion of example transmission
routes is provided in Section 2.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 25
26 - Manitoba Hydro
2 Transmission Line and Cable Routes
The Panel examined a number of example route
options for the next transmission line from the
Nelson River generating station area to southern
Manitoba, following commissioning of Bipole
III. The northern terminus was assumed to
be Gillam Island and the southern terminus
assumed to be Riel Substation, for illustrative
purposes only, to provide a basis for line length
calculations. It was assumed that the fourth
Nelson River line would have a capacity of 1000
MW and for completeness, options were studied
for AC and DC, notwithstanding that a stronger
AC network is desirable at the receiving end to
improve system stability.
2.1 Route 1 AC or DC – Overhead across
Cedar Lake
This route, which begins at Gillam Island on the
Nelson River, passes through several Provincial
and Aboriginal Resource Management areas, and
along the western edge of the Grand Rapids area.
The route would then extend along the eastern
side of Lake Winnipegosis and then on to the
Winnipeg area. The total length of the route
would be 1273 km. The closest distance between
it and the Bipole I-II corridor is about 17 to 25
km but the total extent of this section is only
about 100 km or 10% of the line length.

In addition to an entirely overhead route option

for either AC or DC, two of the conceptual
routes contain underground cable segments for
AC or DC and three routes contain submarine Churchill Hudson
cable segments (two for DC and one for AC). Bay
Extensive engineering studies will be required to MANITOBA
confirm the ultimate merits and validity of any Gillam
Island
route and concept, with the distinct possibility
that variations may ultimately be shown to be
superior. Gillam

Thompson
Detailed maps of both the AC and DC route
options are provided at the end of this report
(Map 1: DC concept routes and Map 2: Flin Flon
AC concept routes).

The Pas
Grand Rapids

Selkirk
Winnipeg Figure 1:
Route 1 AC or DC
Brandon
Overhead across
Cedar Lake

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 27

2.2 Route 2 AC or DC Underground
through Grand Rapids West

This route is a hybrid overhead–underground

cable–overhead line. It begins generally at Gillam
Island and extends overhead to the north of Lake
Winnipeg, where it transitions to an underground
cable that would follow the Bipole I-II corridor
Churchill Hudson
Bay
through the Grand Rapids area, then veers to the MANITOBA
eastern edge of Lake Winnipegosis. From there Gillam
it would transition back to an overhead line and Island

proceed to the Winnipeg area. The main purpose

for using cables for this route is to avoid common
Gillam
mode failure of the new line and existing Bipole
I-II lines due to extreme weather events. The Thompson
closest distance between the new and existing
overhead lines is about 50 km. It is assumed
that a tunnel would be used to carry cables Flin Flon

under the Saskatchewan River at Grand Rapids

tailrace and spillway. The total length of the The Pas
route would be 1200 km with one underground Grand Rapids
segment of 175 km. Tunnel length is assumed
to be about 0.6 km. The AC solution would
have reactive compensation equipment at each
overhead/underground transition station and at
two intermediate stations in the underground
segment. A spare cable would be provided to
improve reliability in case of a cable failure.
Selkirk
Winnipeg Figure 2:
Route 2 AC or DC
Brandon Underground through
Grand Rapids West

28 - Manitoba Hydro
2.3 Route 3 AC or DC Underground East

This route is a hybrid overhead–underground

cable–overhead line, beginning at Gillam Island
and then proceeding overhead to the north of
Lake Winnipeg where it would connect to an Churchill Hudson
underground cable. The cable would follow Bay
along the Bipole I-II corridor through the MANITOBA
Grand Rapids area then veer to the western Gillam
Island
edge of Lake Winnipeg. From there it would
transition back to an overhead line and extend
to the Winnipeg area. The total length of the
Gillam
line would be 1093 km with one underground
segment of 263 km. The AC solution would Thompson
have reactive compensation equipment at each
overhead/underground transition station and at
Flin Flon
three intermediate stations in the underground
segment. A spare cable would be provided to
improve reliability in case of a cable failure. The Pas
Grand Rapids

Selkirk
Winnipeg
Figure 3:
Brandon Route 3 AC or DC
Underground East

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 29

2.4 Route 4 DC Submarine and through
Eastern Interlake

This route is a hybrid overhead–submarine

cable–overhead line. It would begin at Gillam
Island extending overhead to Warren Landing.
There it would transition to a submarine cable Churchill Hudson
that would extend to McBeth Point on the Bay
western shore of Lake Winnipeg, where it would MANITOBA
transition back to an overhead line extending Gillam
Island
along the eastern side of the Interlake to the
Winnipeg area. The total route length would
be 990 km including one submarine segment Gillam
of 176 km. A spare submarine cable would be
included. Thompson

Flin Flon

The Pas Grand

Rapids

Selkirk
Winnipeg
Figure 4: Route 4 DC
Brandon Submarine and through
Eastern Interlake

30 - Manitoba Hydro
2.5 Route 5 DC Two Segments of
Submarine exiting at Traverse Bay

This route is comprised of an overhead line with

two segments of submarine cable. The route
would extend from Gillam Island overhead to
Warren Landing. There it would transition to Churchill Hudson
a submarine cable that would extend to Island Bay
View on the west shore of the lake near the MANITOBA
Narrows, then transition back to an overhead Gillam
Island
line to Riverton. From there it would transition
to a submarine cable across the lake to Traverse
Bay. Finally, it would transition back to the last Gillam
overhead line segment which would continue
Thompson
on to the Winnipeg area. The total route length
would be 991 km including two submarine
segments of 235 and 52 km. A spare submarine Flin Flon
cable would be included for each segment to
improve reliability.
The Pas

Grand
Rapids

Figure 5:
Selkirk
Winnipeg Route 5 DC Two
Segments of
Brandon Submarine exiting at
Traverse Bay

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 31

2.6 Route 6 AC with Two Segments of
Submarine exiting at Traverse Bay

This route, similar to Route 5, is comprised of an

overhead line with two segments of submarine
cable. The route would begin at Gillam Island
and extend overhead to the northern edge of the Churchill Hudson
Poplar River Protected Area on the northeastern Bay
shore of Lake Winnipeg. There it would transition
MANITOBA
Gillam
to a submarine cable which would extend Island
(with two additional land stops for reactive
compensation stations) to Island View. From
there it would transition to an overhead line to Gillam
Riverton, then to another submarine cable to
Thompson
Traverse Bay, and finally back to an overhead
line which would continue on to the Winnipeg
area. The total route length would be 943 km Flin Flon
including submarine segments of 188 and 52 km.
A spare submarine cable would be included for
each segment to improve reliability. There would The Pas
Grand Rapids
be reactive compensation equipment at each
overhead/underground transition station and at
two intermediate compensation stations in the
northern submarine cable segment.

Selkirk Figure 6:
Winnipeg Route 6 AC with
Two Segments of
Brandon Submarine exiting at
Traverse Bay

32 - Manitoba Hydro
Table 6: Cable Route Option Length and Number

OH Submarine
Total UG Submarine Total Submarine
Route Route UG Route UG Cable Route
Mode Cable Cable Cable Length
Option Length Length (km) Numbers Length
Length (km) Numbers (km)
(km) (km)

1 AC OH 1273 0 0

1 DC OH 1273 0 0

2 AC OH-UG 1025 175 4 700

Hybrid
2 DC OH-UG 1025 175 3 525
Hybrid
3 AC OH-UG 830 263 4 1052
Hybrid
3 DC OH-UG 830 263 3 789
Hybrid
4 DC OH-Sub 812 178 3 534
Hybrid
5 DC OH-Sub 704 287 3 861
Hybrid
6 AC OH-Sub 703 240 4 960
Hybrid

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 33

Table 7: Cable Route Options Transitions, Joints, and Terminations

Cable
Cable Field
AC Transition AC Transition Shipping Field
DC Shipping Joints
Route Comp. Comp. Length Joints
Mode Transition Length(km) (No Terminations
Option Stations – Stations – (km) (No (Long
Stations (Long Long
Line Ends Intermediate Long Trains)
Trains) Trains)
Trains)

1 AC OH

1 DC OH

OH-UG
2 AC 2 2 1.8 1.8 389 389 24
Hybrid
OH-UG
2 DC 2 4.0 4 175 175 6
Hybrid
OH-UG
3 AC 2 3 1.8 1.8 877 877 40
Hybrid
OH-UG
3 DC 2 4.0 4 263 263 6
Hybrid
OH-Sub
4 DC 2 1.8 12 x 45 495 9 6
Hybrid
OH-Sub 15 x 47,
5 DC 4 1.8 797 12 12
Hybrid 3 x 52
8 x 33,
OH-Sub 8 x 36,
6 AC 4 2 1.2 1400 8 32
Hybrid 4 x 50,
4 x 52

34 - Manitoba Hydro
Table 8: Transmission Line Route Details
Route Advantages
1 This would be an AC or DC overhead line with no
underground or submarine cable and no cable-
AC or DC related reactive compensation equipment and thus
inherently more reliable.
A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection between
northern generation and the southern system
would strengthen the AC system in the south.
2 After connecting to the Grand Rapids underground
cable, the overhead line would be at least 50 km
AC or DC away from Bipole I-II all the way to the Winnipeg
area.
No novel transport methods required.
A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection between
northern generation and the southern system
would strengthen the AC system in the south.
3 No novel transport methods required.
AC or DC
4 There would be adequate lake sediment for the
entire length of the submarine cable, thus no
DC mechanical barrier protection required for the
submarine cable (no rock cutting, rock dumping, or
protective mattresses).
5 There would be adequate lake sediment for the
entire length of the submarine cable thus no
DC mechanical barrier protection required for the
submarine cable (no rock cutting, rock dumping, or
protective mattresses.)
Disadvantages
Requires two long overhead spans between islands and
mainland of about one km in Cedar Lake.
Location of “island hops” less than 20 km from Bipole I-II
at Grand Rapids.
Permission is required for overhead line to cross about 20
km of “protected area” park along the east shore of Lake
Winnipegosis.
Permission is required for overhead line to cross about 20
km of “protected area” park along the east shore of Lake
Winnipegosis.
500 kV AC cable systems of this length have never been
installed anywhere in the world. The impacts on the
transmission system are not known and need more study.
Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed
for AC alternative.
A tunnel would be required at Grand Rapids.
The overhead line would be less than 30 km from Bipole
I-II as it goes around the Peguis Reserve.
500 kV AC cable systems of this length have never been
installed anywhere in the world. The impacts on the
transmission system are not known and need more study.
Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed
for AC alternative.
To get to the Warren Landing site, the OH line from the
Nelson River Generating Area would have to cross the
Nelson River with a long span of about 1 km.
The OH line would be less than 30 km from Bipole I-II as it
goes around the Peguis Reserve east of Lake St. Martin.
Dredging of the lake bottom and river at Powerview/Pine
Falls may be required for barge access to rail siding.
Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.
To get to the Warren Landing site, the OH line from
Nelson River Generating Area would have to cross the
Nelson River with a long span of about 1 km.
Dredging of the lake bottom and river at Powerview/Pine
Falls may be required for barge access to rail siding.
Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 35
 6 A 500 kV AC transmission interconnection between
northern generation and the southern system
AC would strengthen the AC system in the south.
There is little sediment along the entire east shore of
Lake Winnipeg, extending in places for about 30 km off
shore. Throughout this area the lake bottom has rough
rocky terrain. Because of the required short lengths of AC
cable, about 200 km of AC cable would have to be laid
near the shore on this unfavourable terrain. Because of
the lack of sediment, the cable would have to be covered
by rock dumping or protective mattresses. Only the 50
km line from Riverton to Traverse Bay would be covered
by sediment.

500 kV AC cables of this length have never been installed

anywhere in the world. The impacts on the transmission
system are not known and require further study.

Cable-related reactive compensation equipment needed.

Disturbance of lake bottom sediment.

Very complex operating a hybrid link with these

components.

2.7 Grand Rapids Congestion Issues

Options for installing an HVAC or DC link Figure 7: Grand Rapids Transmission Corridors
through the Grand Rapids area are limited
due to the bottleneck effect from the
congestion of existing transmission lines,
generating station, and ancillary facilities.
Routes 2 and 3 include installation of
underground cables through the area.
Work would entail construction of a
single trench for an AC or DC system and
a tunnel under the spillway and tailrace
approximately 600 m long. Horizontal
Directional Drilling was considered
instead of a tunnel, but there was concern
that there could be high potential to
disturb the environment (possibility of
drilling mud frac-outs, water turbidity
and harm to fish habitat). Further issues
may exist due to proximity of overhead
lines, etc., however, for this report these have
been limited to environmental and physical
examinations. For details see Appendix 7.

36 - Manitoba Hydro
3 Cable System Performance
This section describes performance of mature
cable systems for underground and submarine
applications. Later sections will describe how the
cable systems can be used to implement several
concepts for post-Bipole III transmission, and will
provide reliability approximations.
3.1 Description of Cable Types for
Underground Transmission
Before explaining cable performance, descriptions
are provided for the various underground cable
types and a basis for optimal type selection.
Following are basic descriptions of those types
that could be considered generally available
for AC and DC underground transmission.
Only some are feasible for the 500 kV level, for
the reasons explained below. More detailed
descriptions of cable types can be found in
textbooks [1,14,15].
First cables with laminar or lapped dielectrics are
discussed, followed by a discussion of cables with
extruded dielectrics.
3.1.1 Laminar, or Lapped Dielectric
For this type of underground cable the electrical
insulation is typically comprised of high purity
paper tapes made using the ‘kraft’ sulphate
process. Tapes are wound around a central
conductor, vacuum dried, saturated with
insulating fluid and pressurized. Several suppliers
provide laminated kraft paper-polypropylene-
paper (PPL) tapes. These tapes provide lower AC
energy losses and higher allowable voltage stresses
than typical kraft paper insulation. Higher stress
limits result in thinner insulation than any other
commercial cable type, which makes the insulated
cable ‘cores’ smallest in overall diameter.
Self contained fluid-filled cables
Self contained fluid-filled (SCFF) cables are
comprised of a hollow central conductor,
surrounded by laminar insulating tapes and
pressurized with insulating fluid. The cable core
is encapsulated in a hermetic seal, typically a
continuous lead or aluminum ‘sheath’, at the
factory. The cables are shipped to the site on
reels, ready for installation. They are connected
to adjacent sections using joints, terminated at
cable ends and permanently pressurized via the
hollow conductor. Three such cables are required
to provide a 3-phase AC circuit. SCFF cables with
conventional kraft paper tape insulation have
relatively high energy losses, lower transmission
capacity and thicker insulation compared
to SCFF cables using PPL tapes (SCFF-PPL).
Pressurization of the insulating fluid is usually
done with passive pressure tanks located at
underground cable ends, and for longer lines,
at some intermediate joints. SCFF cable systems
have been commercialized for 500 kV AC and
DC and have been in service for several decades.
Figure 8: SCFF AC Underground Cable
Source: http://www.nexans.no/Norway/2007
HighVoltageCable_2.pdf
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 37
High pressure fluid-filled cables
High pressure fluid-filled (HPFF) ‘pipe-type’
cables do not contain a saturated, lapped paper-
insulated cable core within a metal sheath.
Instead, the cores are shipped to the site on
individually sealed reels. Three such cores are
simultaneously pulled into a pre-installed steel
pipe, joined to adjacent sections, terminated and
subsequently pressurized from outside the cores
with insulating fluid, to provide a 3-phase AC
circuit. Due to the heat generated in their carbon
steel pipes, HPFF cable systems have higher energy
losses and lower transmission capacity than the
other feasible types. The pipes and pressurizing
systems also contain much more insulating fluid
than SCFF cable systems (approximately 18,000
l/km compared to 250 l/km for typical 230 kV
installations), which increases the potential leak
volumes and possible environmental impacts.
They operate at higher pressures than most SCFF
cable systems, so their pressurizing systems are
more complex, requiring large fluid storage tanks,
pumps, valves and automatic controls. Although
HPFF cable systems have been tested for 500 kV
AC, they are not commercially available for
500 kV AC or DC, and therefore will not be
further considered for this application.
Figure 9: High Pressure Fluid-Filled ‘Pipe-type’
underground cable - Source: www.okonite.com
38 - Manitoba Hydro
High pressure Gas-filled cables
High pressure gas-filled (HPGF) ‘pipe-type’
cables are similar to HPFF cables except the
wound paper insulation core is saturated with
higher viscosity insulating fluid. Cables are also
shipped to the site in individually sealed reels.
Three cores are simultaneously pulled into a pre-
installed steel pipe, joined to adjacent sections,
terminated and subsequently pressurized with dry
nitrogen gas instead of insulating fluid, to provide
a 3-phase AC circuit. The absence of liquid
insulating fluids and related complex pressurizing
systems makes HPGF cables inherently simpler
than HPFF systems and avoids all risks due to
liquid insulation fluid leaks compared to the
other laminar insulation systems described above.
However, the present upper AC voltage limit for
HPGF cables is only about 150 kV. They are not
commercially available for DC and therefore they
will not be given further consideration for this
application.
Mass impregnated cables
Mass Impregnated (MI) cables are similar to SCFF
cables except that they are not pressurized and
therefore do not have a hollow conductor core.
The absence of pressurization results in very poor
performance for AC applications, with an upper
practical limit of about 69 kV [3]. However, they
have been tested to the 600 kV DC level by several
suppliers and are commercially available at 500
kV DC. Long distance 500 kV DC MI cables have
been in service for approximately three years [4]
and 450 kV DC MI cables for about 16 years [5].
They have proven to be very reliable.
A characteristic of DC MI cables for applications
above about 300 kV is that they cannot be
coiled. This is because in order to accommodate
the high electric stresses, the insulating tapes
must be wrapped around the conductor core at
relatively high tensions. When cables are coiled,
as opposed to being wound on a reel, carousel
or turntable, torsional forces are exerted on
the highly tensioned insulating tapes that can
result in damage. Implications are that HV DC
MI submarine cables cannot be coiled into the
hold of a freighter for ocean transportation, but
instead must be transported on special ships
with carousels or turntables, as shown in Figures
21 and 24. This must also be taken into account
when developing methods to transport long
continuous lengths by train, as described in
Appendix 4 (with Method 1 being preferred for
this reason).
Figure 10: Mass Impregnated EHV Submarine Cable (Source:
www.prysmian.com)
3.1.2 Extruded Dielectric
The electrical insulation on extruded dielectric
cables is comprised of highly refined elastomers
or polymers extruded around the central
conductor and vulcanized (cross-linked) at high
temperature and pressure. There is no free fluid
or pressurization system, so a continuous metal
sheath or pipe is not required for containment,
and there is no possibility of leaks into the
environment. However, most extruded dielectric
cable types for higher stressed transmission
applications require a continuous metal moisture
barrier to prevent water penetration into the
insulation, which can have a long term degrading
effect.
Ethylene Propylene Rubber cables
EPR cables use insulation made of extruded
electrical grade ethylene propylene rubber. The
upper voltage limit for EPR cables is about 150
kV AC due to high insulation losses and they are
not commercially available for DC, so no further
consideration is given for this application.
Polyethylene cables
PE cables use insulation made of extruded
electrical grade low density polyethylene (LDPE),
a thermoplastic polymer. The insulation softens
significantly at conductor temperatures above
about 70 °C, which limits thermal-mechanical
performance and therefore transmission capacity.
Although many circuits continue to operate at the
400 kV AC level, manufacturing has been mostly
discontinued for transmission applications. Also,
they have not been proven for DC use. Therefore
PE insulation cables are not given further
consideration for this application.
Cross-linked polyethylene cables
XLPE cables use insulation made of extruded
electrical grade cross-linked polyethylene, which
is a thermoset polymer. An organic peroxide is
added to the LDPE to form cross-links between
the long hydro-carbon chains in the PE matrix
during vulcanization. This significantly improves
important thermal and mechanical properties,
such as maximum operating temperature
(typically 90 °C) before insulation softening
occurs. Thermal-mechanical performance and
transmission capacity is therefore better than
PE cables. XLPE underground cables have been
commercialized to 500 kV AC and long distance
lines have been in service for about ten years
[6]. By modifying the insulating compound
and refining semi-conducting conductor and
insulation shields, cable systems have been
manufactured to the 250 kV DC level (Honshu-
Hokkaido). Several suppliers have completed
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 39
development tests as well as industry standard
pre-qualification and type tests for the 320 to
400 kV DC level. Two claim that they have done
sufficient development and prototype tests to
demonstrate commercial availability for 500
kV DC. [7]. At the time of writing, orders have
been placed for XLPE DC cables at the 320 kV
level (e.g. DolWin1 and BorWin2 wind farms),
but none have yet been installed above 200 kV
(TransBay).
Figure 11: XLPE AC Underground Cable
Source: http://www.nexans.no/Norway/2007/HighVoltage
Cable_2.pdf
approximately eight known cable manufacturers
who have passed industry standard tests to prove
their 500 kV AC XLPE underground cable systems.
At least one manufacturer has developed an 800
kV AC XLPE underground cable system.2� For the
reasons described above regarding pressurization
difficulties for long distances, AC SCFF cables
are not given further consideration for this
application.
At present, the three possible cable types for post-
Bipole III 500 kV DC underground applications
are SCFF, MI and XLPE. MI and XLPE cables are
usually favoured over SCFF cables because they do
not have pressurized insulating fluid, which poses
higher environmental impacts and limits cable
lengths to about 50 km due to difficulties with
maintaining pressures during transient loading.
For these reasons DC SCFF cables are not given
further consideration for this application.

Figure 12: DC underground cable with XLPE insulation (source:

www.abb.com; “It’s time to connect”)

Feasible cable types

At present, the two possible cable types for post-
Bipole III 500 kV AC underground applications
are SCFF (with PPL insulation) and XLPE. XLPE
cables are usually favoured over SCFF cables
because of the absence of pressurized insulating
fluid and lower maintenance. XLPE cables
also have a lower insulation permittivity and
capacitance, which reduces charging current and
therefore allows longer transmission distances
(further discussion on this issue is presented
later in this report). However, few long distance
500 kV AC XLPE circuits have been installed, so
reliability is relatively unproven. This is expected
to change as more long distance installations
are planned and more manufacturers develop
500 kV cable systems before post-Bipole III 2 Private communications between A. MacPhail and
applications are needed. At present there are P. Argaut, Silec Cables; Display at CIGRE 2010 Technical
Exhibiton, August 2010.

40 - Manitoba Hydro
3.2 Description of Cable Types for
Submarine Transmission
The same basic cable types for underground
transmission generally apply for submarine
transmission. However, there are some
exceptions, which are presented in the following
discussion. It’s noteworthy that, excluding HPFF
and HPGF pipe-type cables from discussion,
submarine cables are generally similar to
underground cables, except they have external
armour to provide additional mechanical
protection and manage high tensions during
laying. However, there are important differences
for deep water applications, where special
constructions are needed to handle high internal
tension, torsion and shear forces applied to the
various layers during laying. Special measures
are also taken to inhibit water ingress in the
event of damage. But for the relatively shallow
Lake Winnipeg application, in general cable
constructions would be similar for underground
and submarine cables, except for the presence
of armour wires for the latter. This of course
increases the outer diameter and weight, so that
less submarine cable can be accommodated on
the same reels used for underground cables.
Since a cable’s minimum bending radius is
proportional to its outside diameter, submarine
cables cannot be bent to as small a diameter as
an equivalent underground cable. The net result
is that submarine cables are generally more
expensive to manufacture and transport.
Following is a description of cable types generally
available for submarine transmission.
HPFF and HPGF cables
HPFF and HPGF cable systems are limited in
length to the distances that cables can be pulled
into steel pipes, which usually restricts them
to a length of one to two kilometres for water
crossings. Therefore, they are not considered to
be suitable for this application, where crossing
lengths could be up to 70 km for 500 kV AC and
287 km for 500 kV DC.
Cross-linked polyethylene cables
Only relatively short XLPE submarine cables have
been installed at the 420 kV AC level [8]. However
an order has recently been placed for a 13 km 420
kV AC circuit across the Oslofjord between Norway
and Sweden. Therefore 500 kV AC XLPE cables
are not presently available for this application.
However, the upper limit is expected to increase to
500 kV AC within the next decade, also with longer
installation distances. Presently, the upper limit for
planned DC XLPE submarine applications is about
the same as for underground, i.e. 320 kV, with
two suppliers claiming they have done sufficient
development and prototype tests to demonstrate
commercial availability for 500 kV DC [7].
3.2.1 Maturity of State-of-Engineering of
500 kV Cable Technologies in Use
World-wide Today
Discussions of the relative state of maturity of
various cable systems are described below in the
same order in which they are summarized in
Tables 4 and 5.
The Panel’s definition of ‘maturity’ is:
• Industry standards and recommendations
describe tests for manufacturing such
systems.
• Existing applications are ‘long distance’,
meaning at least five km for underground
cables and 20 km for submarine cables.
• Applications have been in service for at
least five years.
• Reliability has been ‘acceptable’.
• A complete cable system, including
all accessories such as joints and
terminations, is commercially available
from at least one supplier.
Table 9 describes ‘mature’ cable types and their
upper voltage limits for AC and DC underground
and submarine applications, as commercially
available in 2010.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 41
Table 9: Cable options and upper voltage limits for ‘mature’ AC and DC underground or submarine applications in 2010

Laminar or Lapped Dielectric Extruded Dielectric

Application Pressurized Pressurized Pressurized Unpressurized Unpressurized Unpressurized

Self Contained High Pressure High Pressure Mass Cross-Linked Ethylene Propylene
(report section
Fluid-Filled Fluid-Filled Gas-Filled Impregnated Polyethylene Rubber
number)
SCFF HPFF HPGF MI XLPE EPR

AC Underground
500 kV AC 500 kV AC 150 kV AC NA 500 kV AC 150 kV AC
(3.2.2)

AC Submarine
500 kV AC NA NA NA 420 kV AC 150 kV AC
(3.2.3)

DC Underground
500 kV DC NA NA 450 kV DC 200 kV DC* NA
(3.2.4)

DC Submarine
500 kV DC NA NA 450 kV DC 200 kV DC* NA
(3.2.5)

*Cross-sound 150 kV cables commissioned in 2003; 200 kV TransBay cables installed in 2010; 250 kV Honshu-Hokkaido cables to be installed in 2012,
200 kV East-West interconnector to be installed in 2012, 320 kV DolWin1 cables to be installed in 2013 (2 x 75 km sea cable; 2 x 90 km land cable).

Table 10 describes cable types for AC and DC underground and submarine applications and their upper
limits on voltage level, as anticipated to be ‘mature’ in 2025.

Table 10: Anticipated Cable options and upper voltage limits for ‘mature’ AC and DC underground or submarine
applications in 2025

Laminar or Lapped Dielectric Extruded Dielectric

Application Pressurized Pressurized Pressurized Unpressurized Unpressurized Unpressurized
Self Contained High Pressure High Pressure Mass Cross-Linked Ethylene
(report section
Fluid-Filled Fluid-Filled Gas-Filled Impregnated Polyethylene Propylene Rubber
number)
SCFF HPFF HPGF MI XLPE EPR

AC Underground
500 kV AC 500 kV AC 150 kV AC NA 600 kV AC 150 kV AC
(3.2.2)

AC Submarine
500 kV AC NA NA NA 500 kV AC 150 kV AC
(3.2.3)

DC Underground
600 kV DC NA NA 600 kV DC 500 kV DC NA
(3.2.4)

DC Submarine 600 kV DC NA NA 600 kV DC 500 kV DC NA

(3.2.5)

42 - Manitoba Hydro
For references regarding maturity, Appendix
5 lists the existing 500 kV AC and 500 kV DC
cable systems in service in the world today
for underground and submarine applications
(believed to be complete, but there could be
several omissions for shorter applications).
3.2.2 Maturity of 500 kV AC Underground
Cable Systems
SCFF AC Underground Cables
There are industry standards for testing these
cables to the 500 kV AC level (IEC 141-1). There
are many long and short distance applications
described in Appendix 5, dating back to 1973
(Grand Coulee). Therefore, SCFF AC underground
cable systems are considered to be mature at the
500 kV AC level.
XLPE AC Underground Cables
There are industry standards for testing these
cables up to 500 kV AC (IEC 62067; Japanese
Standard; French Standard). There are two long
distance lines in Japan and two more have been
commissioned in China in 2009 and 2010.
Both systems are in tunnels. The technology is
considered to be mature at the 500 kV AC level for
installations in tunnels using similar methods and
accessories as for the Japanese applications. There
is no evidence that tests have been conducted
to prove adequate performance of joints and
terminations in very cold weather conditions, as
prevail in winter at the study site.
Therefore, XLPE AC underground cable systems
are generally considered to be mature at the
500 kV AC level for tunnel installations, but the
accessories (joints and terminations) do not
appear to be proven for very cold climates. These
cables are mature at the 500 kV AC level for
typical applications.
3.2.3 Maturity of 500 kV AC Submarine
Cable Systems
Self Contained Fluid-Filled (SCFF) AC
Submarine Cables
There are industry standards for testing these
cables to the 500 kV AC level. On the basis of
this and performance of the 26 year old, double
circuit 500 kV AC 1200 MW submarine cable
system from the British Columbia mainland to
Vancouver Island, 500 kV AC SCFF submarine
cable systems are judged to be ‘mature’. The
Hainan Island 500 kV AC SCFF submarine cable
system has been in service since early 2009. There
are no other 500 kV AC SCFF submarine cables
in service. Therefore, SCFF AC submarine cable
systems are considered to be mature at the 500 kV
AC level.
Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) AC
Submarine Cables
There are industry standards for testing these
cables, but only up to the 150 kV AC level
(Electra No. 189-1 and IEC 60840). However, an
International Council on Large Electrical Systems
(CIGRE) Working Group (B1.27) is revising the
applicable document up to the 500 kV AC level,
with completion planned in 2012.
There are no 500 kV AC XLPE submarine cable
systems in service in the world. However,
there is one short distance (2.5 km) 420 kV AC
application in service in Norway since 2006 [8]
and an 11 km 345 kV AC application is planned
for New Jersey - Brooklyn in 2011. A 13 km
420 kV circuit is planned across the OsloFjord
between Sweden and Norway, which will be
commissioned in 2011-12.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 43
Therefore, XLPE AC submarine cable systems are
considered to be mature at the 420 kV AC level
within one year, but not for 500 kV AC. By 2025
they are expected to be mature at 500 kV AC.
However it is not certain that they will be proven
reliable for such long installations as envisioned
for the post-Bipole III options described in this
report.
3.2.4 Maturity of 500 kV DC Submarine
Cable Systems
Self Contained Fluid-Filled (SCFF) DC
Submarine Cables
There are industry standards for testing these
cables up to 800 kV DC (Electra No. 189-2; IEC
141-1). The 50 km, 500 kV DC SCFF submarine
cable system from Honshu to Shikoku has
now been in service for nine years, although
only at the 250 kV level. However, an extensive
development test and type test program was
followed to qualify for the 500 kV DC level.
Therefore, SCFF DC submarine cable systems are
considered to be mature at the 500 kV DC level.
XLPE DC Submarine Cables
There are industry recommendations for testing
these cables, but only up to 250 kV DC (CIGRE
Technical Brochure 219; IEC 62067). However,
a CIGRE Working Group (B1.32) is revising
the applicable document up to the 500 kV DC
level, with completion planned for 2011. There
are no 500 kV DC XLPE cable systems in service
anywhere in the world. The highest voltage in
service is the 200 kV Transbay VSC HVDC system,
commissioned in late 2010. Honshu-Hokkaido
250 kV DC is planned for 2012. The DolWin1
and BorWin2 320 kV DC projects located in
Germany for an offshore wind farm cluster are
planned for 2013.
Therefore, XLPE DC submarine cable systems are
not considered to be mature at the 500 kV DC
level. By 2025 they are expected to be mature.
44 - Manitoba Hydro
Mass Impregnated (MI) Submarine Cables
There are industry recommendations for testing
these cables up to 800 kV DC (Electra No. 189-
2). There are two installations in the world at the
500 kV DC level. One is a Neptune monopolar
link from New Jersey to Long Island, New
York, comprised of 23 km on land and 82 km
underwater. This project went into service in June
2007.
The other is a double monopolar link from Italy
to Sardinia, with the first phase entering service in
mid 2009. It is comprised of 14 km on land and
390 km underwater. There are similar or longer
applications operating at the +/-450 kV DC level
(NorNed) placed into service in 2008 comprised
of 580 km submarine cables.
Therefore, MI DC submarine cable systems are
considered to be mature at the 500 kV DC level
for submarine cable applications beyond 2012.
3.2.5 Maturity of 500 kV DC Underground
Cables
SCFF DC Underground Cables
There are industry recommendations for testing
these cables up to 800 kV DC (Electra No. 189-2).
The only dedicated underground application of
500 kV DC SCFF cables is the St. Lawrence tunnel
crossing for Hydro Quebec as part of the Radisson
Nicollet link, commissioned in 1992 (operating
at +/- 450 kV DC). However, there is also a 43 km
long 400 kV underground installation for part
of the Greece-Italy link, commissioned in 2002.
Notwithstanding the solitary 500 kV application
for the St. Lawrence crossing, SCFF underground
cables are considered to be mature at the 500 kV
DC level, since they have been proven for long
500 kV DC submarine cable applications, such as
50 km 500 kV DC Honshu-Shikoku link.
Submarine applications are generally more
demanding than underground applications, so
500 kV SCFF cables can be considered mature for
underground applications.
XLPE DC Underground Cables
There are industry recommendations for testing
these cables, but only up to 250 kV DC (CIGRE
Technical Brochure 219). However, CIGRE
Working Group B1.32 is revising the applicable
document up to the 500 kV AC level, with
completion planned in 2011. There are no 500 kV
DC XLPE underground cable systems in service
and the present upper voltage limit for five year
in-service cables is the 170 km long 150 kV DC
MurrayLink project in Australia.
Therefore, XLPE DC underground cables are not
considered to be mature at the 500 kV DC level,
however they are expected to be mature at the 500
kV DC level by 2025.
Mass Impregnated (MI) DC Underground
Cables
There are industry recommendations for testing
these cables up to 800 kV DC (Electra 189-2).
There are two installations in the world at the 500
kV DC level, both with joints in the underground
sections. One is a Neptune monopolar link from
New Jersey to Long Island, New York, comprised
of 23 km on land and commissioned in 2007.
The other is the first phase of a double monopolar
link from Italy to Sardinia, which entered service
in mid 2009 with 14 km on land.
Therefore, MI DC underground cables are
considered to be mature at the 450 kV DC level
but not quite at the 500 kV level because they do
not yet meet the five year criteria.
However, MI DC underground cable systems are
considered to be mature at the 500 kV DC level
for underground cable applications beyond 2012,
when they will have met the five year experience
criteria.
3.2.6 Conclusions about Maturity of 500 kV
Underground and Submarine Cable
Systems
For 2025 AC applications, XLPE cable systems
will likely have reached sufficient maturity and
reliability for both underground and submarine
applications. They are recommended for the
500 kV AC ‘concepts’. However, it is not certain
that sufficient reliability will be proven for such
long applications described for post-Bipole III
in this report. Cable system reliability is directly
proportional to length, so field-proven reliability
of, for example, a 50 km long circuit for 50
years, does not equate to similar reliability for
a 150 km circuit. This may not be as important
for underground applications where repairs can
be made more quickly and at less cost, but for
submarine applications reliability is more critical.
For DC submarine cable applications in
2025, mass impregnated (MI) and XLPE cable
systems will also have likely achieved sufficient
maturity and reliability. However, MI cables
were selected as the basis for estimating costs of
submarine DC cable ‘concepts’ because they can
be manufactured in longer lengths with fewer
factory joints. They also have a proven 40-year
positive reliability history at 250 kV DC to 300 kV
DC and over 20 years at 400 kV DC. Reliability
is especially important for submarine cables
in Lake Winnipeg because of long repair times
during winter (October 31 – May 1). Cable system
reliability will be discussed more in later sections.
For DC underground applications in 2025, XLPE
cable systems will have achieved acceptable
maturity and reliability, and are recommended
for underground DC cable ‘concepts’. They
are favoured on land over MI cables because
of light weight, ease of field jointing, longer
shipping lengths and relatively fast repairs.
Outage durations would be months shorter for
underground cables than for submarine cables.
There are similar concerns about reliability of
long distance 500 kV DC XLPE underground
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 45
cable applications, as for long distance 500 kV AC
XLPE submarine cables. However, because repairs
to underground cables can be made more quickly
and at less cost, reliability may not be as critical.
Cables with pressurized fluids are not proposed
for any route option studied due to the high
cost of operations, and potential environmental
objections to their use. Many manufacturers and
customers have indicated a preference to move
away from this technology and this trend is
expected to continue to 2025.
Table 11: Recommended Cable Types for 2005 (assuming
adequate proven reliability for long distances
Cable Route Type Cable Technology
AC Underground XLPE
AC Submarine XLPE
DC Underground XLPE
DC Submarine MI or XLPE
3.3 Performance of AC and DC Cables
Operating at 500 kV
A technical comparison of AC and DC cable
systems is provided in Appendix 6.
In general, performance is expressed in terms of
how measurable goals and objectives are met. For
purposes of this report, performance was defined
by the following, each to be described in greater
detail in following sections.
• Conditions imposed by the natural
environment
• Transmission capacity
• Reliability
• Life expectancy
• Operation and maintenance requirements.
46 - Manitoba Hydro
3.3.1 Conditions Imposed by the Natural
Environment
The cable system, including transition stations
must be designed to withstand the following
conditions:
Maximum air temperature: 40 °C
Minimum air temperature: -50 °C2
Maximum soil temperature
at 1.0 m deep: 14 °C*
Minimum soil temperature,
0.5m deep: -0.8 °C*
Minimum soil temperature
1.0 m deep: 0.3 °C*
Minimum soil temperature
1.5 m deep: 1.4 °C*
Minimum soil temperature
3.0 m deep: 3.8 °C*
Maximum lake bottom
temperature: 15 °C
Maximum wind speed where OH lines > 100 km from Bipole
I-II: 161 km/hour
Maximum wind speed where OH lines are less than 100 km
but greater than 50 km from Bipole I-II: 220 km/hour
*Reference: http://climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/
Temperatures stated for Gimli, Manitoba
In addition, submarine cable systems must be
capable of withstanding other natural hazards,
such as scouring by ice accumulation in the
littoral zone, by drifting ice islands and shore
erosion. There is some evidence that scouring
can penetrate the lake bottom to depths of
approximately one metre. Further explanations
are provided in section 4.3.4.
3 Parts of cable system exposed to this temperature require
special engineering and design; lower range matches other
equipment specifications at Manitoba Hydro.
3.3.2 AC Transmission Capacity
It is assumed that the required transmission
capacity would be 1000 MW. This could be
transmitted with AC using a single circuit
overhead transmission line. However, actual
power transfer would depend on the generation
connected at the transmitting end,
and system stability constraints.
For AC underground sections, one cable circuit
with a spare cable would be required for 1000
MW capacity, approximately as shown in the
Figure 13 configuration.
Figure 13: Cable circuit with spare cable 1000 MW 500kV AC
Right-of-Way
Cable circuit with spare cable
1000 MW
1.50 approx.
Select backfill
0.60
0.50 approx. Typ Thermal backfill
This is a simplified diagram that omits auxiliary
cables, such as ground continuity conductors
and fibre-optic cables for monitoring,
telecommunication, telecontrol and system
protection. Each cable configuration would be
enclosed in a minimum 75 mm thick concrete
envelope, to provide protection from third
party damage, tree root damage and other
natural hazards. In the event of a cable failure,
transmission capacity of the link would initially
be reduced to zero until the failed cable could
be isolated at transition stations using remotely
operated disconnects and the spare cable inserted
to take its place while repairs were made. This
would substantially reduce the time for lost
transmission capacity. One solution using
disconnects is shown in Figure 14.
Figure 14: 500kV AC cable switching arrangement for
spare cable
500 kV AC cables with spare cable – 1000 MW
C B A
NC NC NC
NO NO NO
C B A
500 kV AC Overhead Line – 1000 MW
Single-point sheath bonding would be used, in
order to enable spare cable switching, which
would be impractical with conventional cross-
bonded sheath systems. At least one parallel
ground continuity conductor would be installed
in the same trench as the cables.
AC underground cables are assumed to be
approximately as follows. Conductor size is
preliminary and subject to change depending
on the results of detailed reactive compensation
studies, to optimize reactor size versus cable
ampacity.
Conductor: 1400 mm2 copper milliken type
Maximum conductor
temperature: 90°C
Insulation: Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)
Sheath: Continuous extruded or
longitudinally seam-welded
smooth aluminum
Jacket: High density polyethylene (HDPE)
External diameter: Approximately 130 mm
Weight: Approximately 25 kg/m
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 47
For AC submarine sections, one circuit with a spare cable
would also be provided. Cables would be separated by
approximately twice the water depth, but no less than 10 m,
as shown in Figure 16. Cables would be buried one to two
metres below the lake bed, depending on bottom hardness,
water depth and susceptibility to bottom scouring by wind-
blown ice islands and other natural hazards.

AC Submarine cables are assumed to be approximately as

follows:

Conductor: 1600 mm2 copper milliken type

Maximum conductor
temperature: 90°C
Insulation: Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)
Sheath: Continuously extruded, high
fatigue resistance lead alloy
Jacket: Polyethylene
Armour: Copper wires or straps
External diameter: Approximately 150 mm
Weight in air: Approximately 65 kg/m

Figure 16: Assumed AC Submarine Cable Configuration (dimensions in metres)

Cable circuit with spare cable

1000 MW

Lake Surface
Water depth D

Lake Bottom
1.00 to 2.00 m approx.

2 x Water Depth min, but no less than 10.00 m Typ.

48 - Manitoba Hydro
Industry practice for AC submarine cables is
that they typically do not use special sheath
bonding systems. Instead sheaths and armour
circuits are solidly connected to ground at
both ends, making integration of a spare cable
easier than for underground systems. As for the
underground option, in the event of a cable
failure, transmission capacity of the link would
initially be reduced to zero until the failed cable
could be isolated at transition stations using
remotely operated disconnects and the spare
cable inserted to take its place while repairs were
made. This would substantially reduce the time
for lost transmission capacity.
Some of the route options require AC cable
lengths to be 50 to 70 km long. Capacitive
charging current for typical 500 kV AC XLPE
cables is about 23 A/km, half of which flows
into each cable terminal. Shunt reactors are
required near the ends of these cable segments to
compensate for the charging current, otherwise
transmission of useable real power would be
limited, voltage regulation would be poor and
serious system over-voltages could result. This is
described in greater detail in later sections.
3.3.3 DC Transmission Capacity
It is assumed that the required DC transmission
capacity would also be 1000 MW. For purposes
of this report a conventional Line Commutated
Converter (LCC) Bipole system is assumed,
using earth return, as shown in Figure 17. Several
suppliers have passed tests for 300 kV XLPE DC
cables for use with LCC converters as well as VSC.
Operational capabilities for the assumed LCC
converter/cable arrangement would be as follows:
• During an outage of one pole, the other
could be operated continuously with
ground return.
• For a pole outage, in case long-term
ground current flow is undesirable, the
bipolar system could be operated in
monopolar metallic return mode. Transfer
of the current to metallic path and back
without interruption requires a Metallic
Return Transfer Breaker and other special-
purpose switchgear in the ground path of
one terminal.
• During maintenance of ground electrodes
or electrode lines, operation is possible
with connection of neutrals to the
grounding grid of the terminals, but only
if the imbalance current between the two
poles is held to a very low value.
• When one pole cannot be operated with
full load current, the two poles of the
bipolar scheme could be operated with
different currents, assuming that both
ground electrodes are connected.
• In case of partial damage to DC line
insulation, one or both poles could be
continuously operated at reduced voltage.
• Failure of an underground or submarine
cable would result in monopolar
operation with 500 MW capacity until
the spare cable could be switched into
position.
Figure 17: Bipolar Conventional DC System, One Valve Group
per Pole
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 49
For DC underground sections, three parallel cables DC Underground cables are assumed to be
(two for normal operation plus a spare) would be approximately as follows
required in one trench, approximately as shown in
the Figure 18 configuration Conductor: 1000 mm2 aluminum
Maximum conductor
temperature: 70°C
Figure 18: Typical DC underground right-of-way
(dimensions in metres) Insulation: Cross-linked polyethylene
(XLPE)
Right-of-Way Sheath: Continuous extruded or
longitudinally seam-welded
Cable circuit with spare cable smooth aluminum
1000 MW Jacket: High density polyethylene
(HDPE)
External diameter: Approximately 105 mm
0.60 approx.

1.50 approx.

Select backfill Weight: Approximately 11 kg/m

For DC submarine sections, a spare cable would

be provided to compensate for long cable repair
times in winter. Cables would be separated by
approximately twice the water depth, but no less
Thermal backfill 0.50 approx. Typ.
than 10 m, as shown in Figure 19.

This is a simplified diagram that omits auxiliary

cables, such as fibre-optic cables for monitoring,
telecommunication, telecontrol and system
protection. The cable formation would be
enclosed in a minimum 75 mm thick concrete
envelope, to provide protection from third
party damage. In the event of a cable failure,
transmission capacity of the link would be
reduced to 500 MW until repairs could be made.
A spare cable would be provided. In the event of
a cable failure, transmission capacity of the link
would initially be reduced to 500 MW until the
failed cable could be isolated at transition stations
using remotely operated disconnects and the spare
cable inserted to take its place while repairs were
made. This would substantially reduce the time
for lost transmission capacity. One solution using
disconnects is shown in Figure 19.

50 - Manitoba Hydro
Figure 19: Assumed DC Submarine Cable Configuration (dimensions in metres)

Cable circuit with spare cable

1000 MW
Lake Surface
Water depth D

Lake Bottom
1.00 to 2.00 m approx.

2 x Water Depth min, but no less than 10.00 m Typ.

Cables would be buried one to two metres below Figure 20: DC Underground and Submarine Cable Spare
the lake bed, depending on bottom hardness, water Cable Transfer Bus Arrangement
depth and susceptibility to bottom scouring by
wind-blown ice islands in winter and other natural 500 kV DC cables with spare cable

hazards.

For this study, DC submarine cables are assumed to

be approximately as follows.

Conductor: 1000 mm2 copper NC NC

Maximum conductor
temperature: 55°C
Insulation: Mass impregnated kraft paper (MI)
Sheath: Continuous extruded lead alloy NO NO

Jacket: High density polyethylene (HDPE)

External diameter: Approximately 118 mm
Weight: Approximately 44 kg/m

The DC submarine cable transition stations and

spare cable switching arrangements would be
similar to DC underground transition stations, to
reduce the time when only 500 MW transmission
capacity was available, as shown in Figure 20.
500 kV DC Overhead Line

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 51

3.3.4 Cable System Reliability
Predicting reliability of long 500 kV cable systems
for post-Bipole III applications is challenging,
because little is known about probability of
future cable failures due to internal spontaneous
electrical breakdowns or due to probability of
failures from external natural and man-made
hazards. It was not within the Panel’s Terms
of Reference to conduct new investigations on
historical cable system reliability, so the Panel
instead relied on published information by
others.
Appendix 5 lists global applications of 500 kV
AC and DC cable systems. Panel members are
not aware of any failures of 500 kV AC XLPE
cables resulting in forced outages reported in
the technical literature. Both cable suppliers and
utilities are reluctant to discuss failures. However,
it is understood from private communications
that there has been one in-service 500 kV XLPE
termination failure, attributed to an auxiliary
problem, and one in-service cable failure. There
have also been failures during commissioning
tests.
Before beginning to quantify reliability for the
various underground and submarine cable
systems, it is valuable to reflect on the possible
threats and hazards for cable systems. They can
be classified as hazards internal and external to
the cable system.
Internal Cable System Failures
These are due to faulty manufacturing and
installation of cables, joints and terminations.
Failure usually results in spontaneous electrical
breakdown and a forced outage.
52 - Manitoba Hydro
External Cable System Failures – Underground
Underground cable system failures could be
caused by man-made (anthropogenic) or natural
hazards. For this application, the main man-made
hazards would be dig-ins by third party excavators
and vandalism, especially at terminal stations. The
main natural hazards are tree roots growing into
the cables and soil instability due to surface water
erosion, landslides, etc. In addition extremely cold
winter air temperatures could affect performance
of outdoor cable terminations.
External Cable System Failures – Submarine
Surface vessel traffic is light on Lake Winnipeg
compared to ocean sites and cables are assumed
to be initially buried or otherwise protected from
both man-made and natural hazards. Because of
possible hazards and dangers to submarine cables,
listed below, it is recommended that they be
buried in the lake sediment to at least one metre
in depth. Where burial is not possible, perhaps
due to very hard exposed bedrock, cables would
be protected with rock dumping or protective
mattresses. Such burial and supplemental
protection has been proven in most instances to
be effective in protecting submarine cables from
external damage.
Submarine cable system failures could be caused
by man-made or natural hazards. For this
application, the following is a list of the main
man-made hazards to submarine cables.
• Boat anchors and keels impacting cables
• Boats and barges running aground onto
cables
• Boat propellers striking cables
• Fishing gear impacting cables
• Uncontrolled dredging and dumping by
others
• Vandalism, especially at cable terminals
Following is a list of the main natural hazards to
submarine cables.
• Scouring of lake bottom and at shores by
ice islands in winter
• Littoral drift migration of bottom
sediments and shore erosion
• Abrasion on exposed bedrock and in areas
of fast water currents
• High wave energy changing beach
morphology, possibly exposing cables
over time
• Wind-induced disturbance of the water
column and lake bed dynamics causing
bottom sediment migration over time
• Pounding of driftwood logs along
shorelines causing cable damage
• Sand waves and mega-ripples exposing
buried cables over time in some areas
• Extremely cold winter air temperatures
affecting performance of outdoor cable
terminations
It is recommended that none of the above hazards
be dismissed until thoroughly investigated, since
all example cable routes are subject to change. A
discussion of the specifics of each risk factor that
may affect submarine cables follows.
Ice scour is a geological term for a narrow
ditch or furrow in a seabed or lakebed caused by
moving ice. Synonyms include ice gouging, ice
ploughing, ice scour and keel scour. Geologically,
ice scour is normally associated with glacial
ice in the form of icebergs. In the case of Lake
Winnipeg, ice scour occurs in the spring when in
some places, as the lake ice breaks up, the wind
blows sheets or chunks of ice toward the shore. As
this occurs, occasionally these masses of ice may
pile up into layers, with some tilting sidewise and
extending below the surface, and then drag along
the lakebed as they are pushed ashore. Some of
these ice scours or furrows have been reported
anecdotally to be a metre or more in depth, but
there are no data on exact depths, location of
occurrences, or the regularity of occurrences at
specific locations. Ice scour may also occur as a
result of ice pressure ridges, as discussed below.
The matter of ice scour should be a major concern
in selecting the location of the cable coming
ashore, and, if at all possible, efforts should be
made to avoid places where there is evidence of
this occurring. Also the depth of ice scour has to
be carefully determined so that the cable could
be buried at an appropriate depth. However,
excessively deep burial should be avoided, if
possible, because this would significantly add
to costs and could result in cable over-heating,
necessitating larger conductors, increasing costs
further.
Ice ridges or pressure ridges on lake ice are
formations that may extend parallel and generally
fairly close to shore for many kilometres. In
extremely cold weather, especially if there is a
lack of insulating snow cover, ice will shrink
in volume, opening up long cracks which
immediately fill with water and freeze again. Later
when the temperature rises, the ice expands and
forces itself upward along the lines of the crack.
At times a submerged volume of broken ice under
a ridge is forced downwards by pressure; this is
termed an ice keel. In the spring, as the ice breaks
up, wind-driven pressure ridge keels may drag on
the lakebed and form furrows. On Lake Winnipeg
these furrows may be found close to shore in the
shallow sections of the northwestern North Basin
and in the southern part of the South Basin. In
general, ice ridges form in a north-south direction
approximately one kilometre or less from shore
running from one mainland point to another or
from island to island. In the South Basin there
is normally one major north-south ridge that
develops down the centre of the lake.
The problems created by ice ridges are comparable
to those of ice scour, so care has to be taken
regarding the cable route, especially where the
cable comes ashore. Fortunately, it appears that
ice ridge keel furrows occur mostly in areas fairly
close to shore or in parts of the lake where no
cable routes have been proposed. Hence the
hazard of ice ridges may not pose a threat to the
two proposed DC routes since they would extend
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 53
along the middle of the lake, and there is no
evidence of furrows along the east shore where
the AC route would be located.
Shoreline erosion
During the glacial Lake Agassiz phase of present
day Lake Winnipeg, varying depths of clays and
silts were deposited over the tills left by the
glacial ice advance. These lacustrine clays and
silts are generally free of stones and relatively
unconsolidated. Compared to cobble/boulder
tills, the silts and clays are highly erodible and are
present along the west shore of Lake Winnipeg as
well as the eastern shore south of Manigotogan
[20] [21].
Comparison of shoreline positions over time
indicates typical shoreline recession rates of 0.3
m to 0.6 m per year with extremes of two metres
per year.
Care should be taken in selecting sites for
submarine cables where they enter or exit the
lake, and in the design and installation of
shoreline protection.
Lack of sufficient sediment poses problems
for cable burial and may require rock dumping
or protective mattresses to adequately bury
the cable. Along the entire east shore of Lake
Winnipeg there is little sediment, extending in
places for about 30 km off shore. Throughout this
area, the lake bottom has rough rocky terrain.
If AC cables were to be installed in this region,
they would be laid relatively near the shore
between the transition/compensation stations,
on unfavourable terrain, and would have to be
covered by rock dumping or protective mattresses.
Sediment mobility occurs in areas of the
lake where swift currents, exacerbated by
strong winds, are capable of moving sand, silt,
clay and other sediments from one location
to another, sometimes in a dramatic manner.
54 - Manitoba Hydro
In these locations, after a severe storm, the
depth of sediment may vary by several metres –
leaving some areas with exposed bedrock while
other areas would be heaped up in mounds.
Fortunately, this occurrence is largely restricted
to the section of the lake known as The Narrows.
This is the funnel-like narrow section that
separates the North Basin from the South Basin.
In addition to storms, long periods of strong
winds from either the north or the south can also
cause sediment mobility.
Because of this phenomenon, it would be
inadvisable to try to install submarine cable
through The Narrows. Other parts of the lake may
experience minor degrees of sediment mobility,
so careful note must be made of such locations in
selecting a cable route.
Sandwaves and mega-ripples (dunes) have
been reported in some areas but because a thorough
high resolution lakebed survey has not been done,
the extent of their existence is not known.
Reliability Predictions
Lack of information on the external hazards
described above explains why it is difficult at this
time to determine their ultimate influence on
total cable system reliability. Following are some
reasons why predicting cable system internal
failure rates for 2025 post-Bipole III applications
is also difficult.
• There are three different cable types to be
considered (AC XLPE, DC XLPE, DC MI).
• Some of the proposed cable systems have
no service history for the 500 kV level (DC
XLPE underground and submarine; AC
XLPE submarine).
• Those that have been developed for
the 500 kV level either have too short
service experience (DC MI) or a shortage
of service reliability data (AC XLPE
underground).
 • Cable system failure rates are based on
lower voltage applications, thus reliability
predictions may not be applicable at
500 kV.
• Assuming cable system failure rates based
on experience elsewhere may not be
valid because winter ambient air and soil
temperatures at the sites are lower than
most other applications, and most cable
systems have not been laboratory tested
for such low temperatures.
• Cable system failure rates vary
with manufacturer and their long
term experience with cable system
development. It is unknown which
manufacturer will ultimately supply the
systems and their future capabilities or
factory quality assurance programs.
• Cable system failure rates depend on
installation quality assurance when
making cable joints and terminations.
Poor workmanship (or poor instructions
to installation technicians) is a major
cause of AC XLPE cable system failures.
At this stage there is no way to be sure
that good workmanship practices will be
followed.
It can be concluded that there is no accurate way
to predict internal failure rates for cables and their
accessories (joints and terminations) in 2025.
However, some semi-quantitative and somewhat
subjective approximations can be made for both
internal and external failure hazards, as described
below.
In April 2009, CIGRE Working Group B1.10
completed Technical Brochure 379 “Update
of Service Experience of HV Underground and
Submarine Cable Systems” [16]. It compiled
the results of a power utility survey completed
in December 2005, so the results are now about
five years out-of-date. However, it remains the
most comprehensive industry survey ever done
on the subject. The purpose was to collect and
analyze data relating to installed quantities of
underground and submarine cable systems rated
at 60 kV and above, together with their service
experience and performance. Results showed a
continuing trend toward application of XLPE AC
cables to replace SCFF AC cables, spreading to
the highest voltages, i.e. 500 kV. Unfortunately
there was very little data on performance of 500
kV cables. For DC applications, the survey showed
MI cables continuing to dominate, but with XLPE
cables used more frequently up to 150 kV.
Unfortunately the TB 379 survey data reported
that internal failure rates are zero for AC XLPE,
DC XLPE or DC MI submarine cables, based
on the survey data (see TB 379 Table 29 for DC
XLPE and Table 30 for the others). There is an
acknowledgement, however, that some of the
failures reported as “other”, could have been
internal. Of course a zero failure rate is unrealistic
because it would infer infinite cable life, whereas
it is commonly accepted that cable systems have
a design life of 40 to 50 years under normal
loading and maintenance conditions. It is also
unfortunate that there was insufficient survey
data to quantify a failure rate for submarine
cable accessories (joints and terminations). In
addition, some of the external failure rates due to
external factors in TB 379 Table 30 for submarine
cables do not reflect the satisfactory performance
of many long lines and could provide too
pessimistic an approach to applications in
2025, which would incorporate technological
improvements in manufacturing and installation.
To overcome these challenges and uncertainties
about applicability of the TB 379 Table 30 data to
the Lake Winnipeg site, it was decided not to use
it for Lake Winnipeg submarine cable failure rate
forecasts. Since there was no known alternative
dependable failure rate information available, it
was decided to simply record cable failure rates
as unknown. However, it was agreed to use the
TB 379 Table 11 failure data for underground
AC XLPE cables (all voltages) for both AC and
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 55
DC underground options. The rationale for
doing this was that the Table 11 values for AC
XLPE underground cable systems are the lowest
for all cable systems in the survey, providing an
optimistic approach to this study and thereby
reflecting probable improvements before 2025.
It should be recognized however, that just because
a dependable data base of submarine cable
failure statistics for internal failures does not
exist, and because external failure rate data from
other installations may not be applicable to Lake
Winnipeg, doesn’t mean that Manitoba Hydro
shouldn’t expect submarine cable failures. For
example, the authors are aware of the following
apparently internal submarine cable failures that
have occurred within the last decade:
2003, England – France 270 kV HVDC cable:
Fault at 4 km from UK at 20 m depth.
Buried cable was found twisted and failed
after 17 years of service, apparently due to
initial installation difficulties.
2004, New Zealand 350 kV HVDC cable:
One of the three buried cables had a fault at
150 m away from the North Island landing
point, apparently due to initial installation
difficulties.
2009, Long Island Sound 138 kV AC XLPE cable:
One of three buried cables failed within one
year of installation, without signs of external
aggression.

The final assumed cable failure rates for internal and external causes are summarized in Table 12.

Table 12 Assumed Internal and External Origin Cable and Accessory Failure Rates (Worst Case/Best Case)

AC XLPE DC XLPE
AC XLPE Submarine DC MI Submarine
Underground Underground

Internal External Internal External Internal External Internal External

Cables
(per 100 cct-km/year 0.030 0.058 0.010 0.019
for AC and per cable- / / / /
km for DC) 0.030 0.000 0.010 0.000

Joints
0.005 0.003 0.005 0.003
(failures/year/100
/ / / /
joints)
0.005 0.000 0.005 0.000

Terminations
0.007 0.006 0.007 0.006
(failures/year/100
/ / / /
terminations)
0.007 0.006 0.007 0.006

Coloured boxes indicate that failures are undefined.

56 - Manitoba Hydro
 The following sections apply the preceding
assumed failure rates for the various AC and
DC, underground and submarine cable systems,
and route alternatives described in Section 3.
Options for shipping cables on reels versus long
continuous lengths on rail cars were initially
taken into account in developing the tables.
However, because no reasonably accurate failure
rates were available for submarine cable joints,
it was not possible to quantify any reliability
improvements due to shipping long submarine
cables in continuous lengths with trains.
The methodology was to first determine the
maximum lengths of AC or DC cable that could
be shipped on reels by truck for the underground
options, where there is no rail access. Then
similar methods were used to determine
maximum AC or DC cable lengths shipped on
reels by rail on flat cars to Lake Winnipeg for the
submarine options, as compared to shipping
cables in long continuous lengths on rail cars.
Once reel lengths were determined, and route
segment lengths known, it was possible to
determine the number of joints and terminations,
and finally apply the assumed failure statistics
(see Table 12, Table 13, and Table 14)

Table 13: Estimated Total Cable System Failure Rates and Frequencies – Worst Case

Failure Failure
Cable Internal & Termination
Joint Internal Frequency Frequency
External Failure Internal &
Instal- & External Total Failure Rate (Long Total Failure Rate (Long
Route Rate (per 100 External Failure
lation Failure Rate (No Long Trains) Trains) (Long Trains) Trains)
Option cct-km/year for AC Rate (per 100
Mode (per 100 (per year) (years (per year (years
and per cable-km terminations/
joints/year) between between
for DC) year)
failures) failures)

Line 2 (700/(3 x 100)) x 0.088 + (389/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.088 0.008 0.013 4.2 4.2
AC x 0.008 + (24/100) x 0.013 = 0.240 to land sites

Line 2 (525/(1 x 100)) x 0.029 + (131/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.029 0.008 0.013 6.1 6.1
DC x 0.008 + (6/100) x 0.013 = 0.164 to land sites

Line 3 (1052/(3 x 100)) x 0.088 + (584/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.088 0.008 0.013 2.8 2.8
AC x 0.008 + (24/100) x 0.013 = 0.359 to land sites

Line 3 (789/(1 x 100)) x 0.029 + (197/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.029 0.008 0.013 4.1 4.1
DC x 0.008 + (6/100) x 0.013 = 0.245 to land sites

(534/(1 x 100)) x ? +
Line 4 (534/(1 x 100)) x ? + (297/100) x ?+
Water ? ? ? ? (15/100) x ? + (10/100) ?
DC (6/100) x ? = ?
x?=?
(861/(1 x 100)) x ? +
Line 5 (861/(1 x 100)) x ? + (478/100) x ? +
Water ? ? ? ? (20/100) x ? + (20/100) ?
DC (12/100) x ? = ?
x?=?
(960/(3 x 100)) x ? +
Line 6 (960/(3 x 100)) x ? + (800/100) x ? +
Water ? ? ? ? (14/100) x ? + (56/100) ?
AC (32/100) x ? = ?
x?=?

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 57

 Table 14: Estimated Total Cable System Failure Rates and Frequencies – Best Case

Failure Failure
Cable Internal & Termination
Joint Internal Frequency Frequency
External Failure Internal &
Instal- & External Total Failure Rate (No Long Total Failure Rate (Long
Route Rate (per 100 cct- External Failure
lation Failure Rate (No Long Trains) Trains) (Long Trains) Trains)
Option km/year for AC Rate (per 100
Mode (per 100 (per year) (years (per year (years
and per cable-km terminations/
joints/year) between between
for DC) year)
failures) failures)

Line 2 (700/(3 x 100)) x 0.030 + (389/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.030 0.005 0.013 10.8 10.8
AC x 0.005 + (24/100) x 0.013 = 0.093 to land sites

Line 2 (525/(1 x 100)) x 0.010 + (131/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.010 0.005 0.013 16.6 16.6
DC x 0.005 + (6/100) x 0.013 = 0.060 to land sites

Line 3 (1052/(3 x 100)) x 0.030 + (584/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.030 0.005 0.013 7.1 7.1
AC x 0.005 + (24/100) x 0.013 = 0.141 to land sites

Line 3 (789/(1 x 100)) x 0.010 + (197/100) Same – no train access

Land 0.010 0.005 0.013 11.1 11.1
DC x 0.005 + (6/100)x 0.013 = 0.0907 to land sites

(890/(1 x 100)) x ? +
Line 4 (534/(1 x 100)) x ? + (297/100) x ?+
Water ? ? ? ? (15/100) x ? + (10/100) ?
DC (6/100) x ? = ?
x?=?
(1428/(1 x 100)) x ? +
Line 5 (8615/(1 x 100)) x ? + (478/100) x ?
Water ? ? ? ? (20/100) x ? + (20/100) ?
DC +(12/100) x ? = ?
x?=?
(1682/(3 x 100)) x 0.030
Line 6 (960/(3 x 100)) x ? + (800/100) x ? +
Water ? ? ? ? + (14/100) x ? + (56/100) ?
AC (32/100) x ? = ?
x?=?

Results show that an underground cable system
failure can be expected about once every 3 to
17 years, depending on route length and cable
type. Even if it’s argued that the most optimistic
TB 379 underground cable failure data is
overly pessimistic, Manitoba Hydro could still
experience many underground cable repairs over
the operating life of a long underground cable
system.
Wait and repair times could be up to eight
months if a cable fault occurred in Lake Winnipeg
at the end of the fall season. However, by
switching in the spare cable, the outage duration
could be reduced to several hours or days,
depending on the type of switching implemented
at the terminal stations.
For underground options, repair times could be
two to three months, depending on location and
time of year. But with the spare underground
cable available and switching arrangements
similar to the submarine cable terminal stations,
outage durations could also be limited to several
hours or days.
Comparisons with overhead transmission
line reliability shows that overhead lines are
considerably more reliable. For example, a
compilation of CIGRE survey statistics collected
between 1993 and 2008 shows that the Bipole
I and II overhead lines had an average of 0.057
forced outages per 100 km/year (see Appendix 9),
at least three times better than the worst-
performing underground segment. Most overhead
line repairs could be done in less than a week;
much faster than for cable systems.

58 - Manitoba Hydro
3.3.5 Life Expectancy of Cable Systems
Cable systems are typically designed and tested
on the basis of a 40 year life. Actual longevity
can exceed this time if loading is not excessive
and regular maintenance programs are followed.
There is a growing trend to acknowledge that a 50
year actual life may be more realistic, based on
service experience with cables less than 500 kV.
Comparing with an approximate 100 year life for
overhead line alternatives leads to the conclusion
that an underground or submarine cable system
would need to be replaced about once during the
life of the equivalent overhead line.
3.3.6 Operation and Maintenance
Requirements for Cable Systems
Modern cable systems are often installed with
real-time monitoring systems, which help to
ensure that they are operated within their thermal
and electrical limits. For underground cables,
DC jacket tests are required between three and
five years, to ensure that metal sheaths do not
corrode, which could allow water ingress and
premature insulation failure. Otherwise, only
annual inspections of cable transition stations
and sheath bonding connection points are
required, except for regular patrols for possible
external aggression by third parties. For
submarine cables, DC jacket tests are usually
impractical. Underwater inspections should be
carried out where depth of cable burial could
change. Annual inspections of transition stations
are required. More extensive maintenance
requirements are needed for the reactive
compensation stations, which are mandatory for
the long AC cable systems for this application.
It is important that emergency response plans
be developed and spare cable materials are well
maintained, so that submarine cable repairs can
be carried out quickly.
3.4 Literature Review of Current Research
for Further Technological Development
of 500 kV Cables
A review was completed of recent technical
publications at CIGRE, IEEE and Jicable
conferences.
The results show that little development work
is being done for SCFF cables and production
capacity is declining as a shift continues toward
use of XLPE insulations for AC applications.
Production of mass impregnated cables, only
used for DC applications, has been retained
by established cable suppliers, while other
suppliers without MI cable manufacturing
capabilities concentrate on XLPE insulations for
DC. Established suppliers of MI cables can also
provide XLPE DC cables. A Korean cable supplier
completed a new submarine cable factory in
2009, capable of manufacturing both MI for DC
submarine cables, and XLPE for both AC and DC
submarine cables.
Some established suppliers are considering
expanding MI cable capacity and developing
paper-polypropylene laminate insulations for DC
applications up to 600 kV. It is claimed that such
insulations allow 80 °C operating temperatures
compared to 55 °C for conventional kraft paper
insulations. This allows a substantial increase in
transmission capacity for the same conductor, or
alternatively a smaller conductor and cable for the
same transmission capacity.
Production of XLPE cables for AC and DC
applications is increasing, with over 40 companies
capable of supplying AC XLPE cables up to the
220 kV level. New joint ventures are being formed
between the established cable manufacturers and
those in some fast-growing developing countries,
which are now capable of manufacturing 500
kV AC XLPE cables. There are at least eight cable
suppliers claiming they have the capability to
manufacture 500 kV AC XLPE cables. There are now
at least three suppliers of 500 kV DC MI cable.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 59
Development work with extruded insulations is
focusing on increasing extrusion lengths. Refined
insulating compounds used for transmission
applications, when used with modern extrusion
lines, are capable of extruding about 70 tonnes of
insulation before dies require cleaning. Extrusion
lengths obviously depend on conductor diameter
and insulation thickness. However at the 230-500
kV level, extrusion lengths in the five to seven
km range are now typical. Maximizing extrusion
lengths creates many manufacturing efficiencies
and is especially important for long submarine
cables, which require extrusion lengths to be
joined in the factory.
Conventional manufacturing of XLPE cables
causes gaseous byproducts of the cross-linking
process to remain trapped in the cured insulation.
This affects performance of insulation and
accessories, and has worker safety implications,
since some of the gasses such as methane and
ethane evolve over time and are flammable. To
overcome the problems, high voltage cables
need to be placed into large ovens or tanks
and heated to approximately 70 °C for several
weeks to reduce the byproduct concentrations
to within safe limits. This has obvious impacts
on manufacturing efficiency. Efforts are ongoing
to reduce the degassing burden by improving
traditional compounds or developing new ones.
Some companies are developing new extruded
insulations that eliminate the need for the
vulcanizing process altogether. Research is
being conducted on alternative extruded
insulation systems. For example, polypropylene
insulation has excellent electrical and mechanical
characteristics, but has been difficult to extrude.
Some manufacturers are overcoming these
problems, with apparent benefits from longer
extrusion lengths, less energy consumption during
manufacturing, lower equipment complexity,
reduced factory footprint, and so on.
Nano-composite extruded insulations are also
being developed for AC systems, promising to
60 - Manitoba Hydro
reduce insulation thickness. DC cable systems
have been developed using cross-linked
polyethylene insulation with nano-composite
fillers to improve performance during rapid
polarity reversals, so they can be used with LCC
converters.
Efforts are ongoing to provide alternate metal
sheathing materials, such as copper, to take the
place of lead alloys for submarine cables. Benefits
are less weight, higher fatigue resistance, better
worker safety in factories and perhaps lower
environmental impact.
Laying depths for 500 kV DC submarine cables
have now reached 1620 m. Improvements in
mechanical designs to accommodate such high
laying tensions lead to design refinements for
shallower water applications.
Real-time monitoring systems are being applied
to address preventive maintenance needs and
to detect abnormal cable conditions before
failures can occur. For example, continuous real-
time partial discharge monitoring systems have
been applied to some strategic cable circuits.
Real-time monitoring of cable sheath currents
could reduce the need for performing periodic
cable jacket tests. Integrated distributed fibre-
optic temperature sensing and dynamic rating
systems can maximize transmission capacity
without risk of irreversible thermal damage, as
well as potentially identify submarine cables with
reduced burial depth since initial installation.
3.5 System Impacts Considering Long
Cables
When considering options for a new north-
south power corridor to transmit power from
new generation in the north to markets in
the south, both AC and DC options must be
considered. If cables are to be employed for part
of the corridor to meet social and environmental
restrictions, DC and AC have different electrical
requirements. With a DC transmission option,
the compensation requirements needed to
transmit AC power can be eliminated, reducing
the costs of the transmission line. In addition,
fewer cables are needed since DC requires only
two paths, where an AC option requires three.
For the purposes of illustrative analysis, the AC
option is explored since operational issues on
the Manitoba Hydro grid dictate that a stronger
southern AC network will be required in the future
[19]. AC cables have similarities with capacitors in
the sense that there are two metallic surfaces with
a dielectric material in between, which is the cable
insulation. This means that the cable will produce
reactive power in the same way as a capacitor. The
capacitive (or charging) current will increase with
cable length and voltage. The following reasons
exist for compensating this capacitance produced
by the cable:
• The critical cable length is reached where
the cable’s full ampacity in the sending
end is taken up by the capacitive current
and hence no active or real (watts) power
transport is possible. One way to reduce
this problem is to compensate along the
cable route. The Ferranti effect, which is
the well-known phenomena associated
with transmission lines where open end
voltage can rise above safe limits, also
dictates the need for compensation.
• With high capacitance there can be too
large a voltage step change when the cable
is connected or disconnected. Typically
a ±3% voltage change is acceptable but
this is dependent on the grid code for
the specific grid. The size of the change
is dependent on the reactive power
produced and the strength of the grid
point, which is usually called the Short
Circuit Capacity.
• The grid code may impose requirements
on the range of power factor for delivery
to a certain grid point.
• A long cable connected to a generating
station can also be an application for
compensation. The generator capability
curve has limitations for excessive
absorption of reactive power due to either
generator load angle stability or end
winding heating in the generator stator.
As the timing for a future north-south line
dictates, preliminary planning studies for options
using AC cables would examine the following:
• The types of cable to use
• Effects of parallel transmission paths
• Shunt compensation schemes
• Phase transposition and cross-bonding
• Voltage stability and transient stability
limits
• Effects of harmonic frequencies on the
cable connected system
A power system with long cables will have
characteristics that differ from a system
of overhead lines along the same route.
Conceptually, the purpose of an overhead
transmission line is the same as an underground
or submarine cable – transport energy in the form
of electricity from one end to the other. However,
the physics of moving electricity with cables
has some distinct differences from overhead
transmission lines. Specifically:
• AC cables are not just simple three wire
systems. They form a complex system
of six or more conductors, thus adding
complexities to the mathematical
modelling.
• Level of shunt compensation required is
much greater than overhead lines.
• Lower system resonance frequency can
lead to risk of poor voltage quality or mis-
operation due to harmonic injection.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 61
 • Lower series reactance and a higher X/R
ratio can impact protection systems.
• Cables require special considerations for
bonding of cable sheaths and armour.
• For transients, the surge impedance
and traveling wave velocities are both
lower and dependent on the number of
layers. This has impact on carrier wave
communications systems and travelling
wave fault locating technologies.
Some important issues must be considered and
studied to successfully operate a long hybrid
transmission line and cable system. The items
below are discussed in Appendix 3.
• No load energization
• Voltage control during load rejection
• Switching transients and transient
recovery voltage
• Series resonances and ferro-resonance
analysis
• Parallel cable circuit energization
• Cable impact on system voltage and
transient stability
• Zero miss phenomena
• Generator self-excitation
• Single pole re-closing and blocked re-
closing for cable faults
3.6 Thermal Properties and Ampacity of
Cables
Thermal limit (ampacity) is a very important
cable parameter for grid operations. With
overhead lines, the thermal limit is mainly
dependent on ambient air temperatures and
wind speed.
62 - Manitoba Hydro
Cable ampacity or current carrying capacity
is the measure of how much current a cable
can carry before the thermal limit is exceeded.
This measure depends on many factors such
as ambient temperature, materials used in the
cable manufacture, installation methods and the
environment in which it is installed (i.e. in water
on the lake bottom, in water buried beneath lake
bottom, on land buried with thermal backfills,
or air).
Cable ampacity must be carefully calculated
considering the location and installation so
that conductor temperature does not rise above
a certain limit where cable damage would
occur, reducing the life expectancy of the cable
or destroying the insulation integrity. Cables
generally have a design limit of 90 °C for AC
XLPE and 70 to 90 °C for DC XLPE; 55 °C for
MI cables with kraft paper insulation; and 85 °C
for SCFF AC or DC cables. They are specified to
operate at some accepted level not exceeding these
limits under normal conditions.
Compensation calculations, together with
ampacity calculations based on assumed
installation conditions, allow the selection of
cable sizes used to determine cable performance.
See Appendix 3 for a complete discussion.
3.7 Compensation of Long AC Cables
Long AC cables require compensation in the
form of shunt reactors to eliminate or reduce the
capacitive effect of the cable, which is produced
due to the time-varying nature of alternating
current (AC) or voltage. Cable compensation is
necessary to minimize cable losses in transmitting
power through a long cable, and to control the
voltage which could otherwise exceed equipment
ratings.
There is a critical cable length that when reached,
the cable’s full ampacity at the sending end is
consumed by the capacitive current; thus no
active real power transport is possible. Either
a larger cable with higher ampacity must be
installed, or the capacitive current must be
reduced by installing reactive compensation
devices at the ends of the cables, and if required,
along the cable route.

The calculations to determine the amount of

cable compensation are complex and depend on
many factors. A treatment of this is contained in
Appendix 3 for reference.

Preliminary calculations indicate that reactive

compensation of 500 MVAr 3-phase per circuit
is required at each end of a 50 to 70 km cable
segment, in order to transmit 1000 MW at
500 kV, based on routing concepts depicted in
Section 2 and assumed cable ampacities. For
example, a 100 to 140 km cable length would
need the intermediate point, at approximately
half the total route length, to have both
intermediate cable ends terminated and
connected to 1000 MVArs of compensation, while
each overall end point would be terminated and
connected to 500 MVArs of compensation.

The compensation reactors create heat due to

reactive current flowing through their windings
to ground and due to eddy current and hysteresis
losses in their steel cores. 500 kV reactors would
also be filled with insulating fluid, so would need
to be installed with fluid containment systems
in case of leakage. They can also radiate noise so
sound barriers are often necessary to keep levels
within tolerable limits. Finally, they are very
large and heavy, which presents challenges for
transporting to remote sites, particularly for
Route 6.

For DC cable systems, no compensation devices

are necessary, although the converter systems are
technically complex, expensive and also create
losses.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 63

64 - Manitoba Hydro
4 Submarine Cable Transportation by Water and Land

This section deals with the transportation of Figure 21: C/S Guilio Verne (source: Cabletricity)
submarine cables from the manufacturing facility
by ship to a port in Canada where they would be
transferred to a rail transportation system. At the
destination the cables would subsequently be off-
loaded at Lake Winnipeg to a specially built barge
complete with a cable laying system.

4.1 Transporting long lengths of 500 kV AC

or DC submarine cable by ship

All cable suppliers advise that 500 kV DC MI

cables should not be coiled for transportation
and laying. Some also maintain that extruded
insulation cables should not be coiled.
Accordingly, for purposes of this report it is
assumed that no cable coiling is allowed for any
cable types as there is risk of internal insulation
damage due to the high torsional forces that can Figure 22: C/S Skagerrak (source: Cabletricity)
result. That means that all transportation by ship
and barge must use spooling turntable systems to
avoid coiling.

There are many large, modern cable laying vessels

designed for telecom submarine cables. However,
geometries are not suitable for large power cables
and they store cables in internal ‘tanks’ which
would require coiling.

There are presently two large dedicated ocean-

going cable laying ships equipped with turntables,
suitable for laying power submarine cables, as
shown in Figure 21 and Figure 22. Each has a
turntable capacity of about 7,000 tonnes. But both
are too large to pass through the locks leading to
Lake Superior (Welland Canal maximum vessel
dimensions: Length = 222.5 m, Breadth = 23.8 m,
Draft = 8.0 m, Height above water = 35.5 m).
A smaller power cable laying ship, shown in
Figure 23, with about 4,000 tonne turntable
capacity has laid 230 kV submarine cables in
Lake Ontario and could pass through the locks to
a port at Thunder Bay.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 65

Figure 23: C/S Team Oman (source: www.
globalmarinesystemsenergy.com
There is also a growing number of general
purpose construction vessels developed for
the offshore oil and gas industry, as well as the
offshore wind turbine generator industry. Some
can be fitted with turntables or carousels of about
7,000 tonne capacity and would be suitable for
delivering 100 km lengths of submarine cable to
Montreal, Prince Rupert or Vancouver without
coiling. An example is shown in Figure 24.
Figure 24: North Ocean 102 (Source: www.oceanteam.nl)
66 - Manitoba Hydro
4.2 Transporting long lengths of
submarine cable via rail
Under its Terms of Reference, the Panel was
asked to examine concepts on how long lengths
of submarine cable could be transported by rail
from a Canadian seaport. Specifically, one of the
Panel’s goals was to examine the general concepts
by which submarine cable could be transported
in lengths of up to 50 km from a port location to
its destination at Lake Winnipeg. Since the cable
for proposed submarine routes would be required
to span distances ranging from 52 to 287 km,
transporting long lengths was considered to be
superior to the traditional way of transporting
submarine cable on reels in lengths up to
1800 m.
Long lengths of high voltage submarine power
cables greater than 10 km have never been
transported by train and none of the cable
manufacturers have had any experience with
such transportation methods. To the Panel’s
knowledge, nowhere in the world is there an
installation of long lengths (> 10 km) of high
voltage submarine cable in a landlocked lake.
However, there are plans for a 47 km long
submarine cable in Lake Como, Italy, as part of
the 150 km long 400 kV DC GreenConnector
Project between Italy and Switzerland, as well as
for a 320 kV DC installation in Lake Champlain,
as part of the Champlain-Hudson interconnector
project between Quebec and New York.
During the Panel’s deliberations, four different
concepts or proposals to transport long lengths
of submarine cable by rail were studied. Detailed
descriptions of all the proposals are included in
Appendix 4.
After a thorough review of each concept, Proposal
1 was considered by the Panel to have the highest
potential for success, primarily because no part
of the operation would coil or apply a twist to
cables, which could be particularly damaging to
the tightly applied insulating tapes of MI cables
and possibly to XLPE cables as well.
Figure 25: Looped cables on train (Proposal 1), four cars are shown for simplicity
Proposal 1 presents a concept on how long
sections of 500 MW 500 kV DC submarine
cable with either MI or XLPE insulation might
be transported by train. MI cable would be
approximately 130 mm (five inches) in diameter
with single-wire armour, have a supported
bending diameter of approximately three metres
(nine feet, 10 inches) and weigh about 45 kg/m.
500 kV AC XLPE cable would be about 150 mm
in diameter and weigh approximately 65 kg/m.
This procedure could be used for both AC and
DC cables, but this example continues with MI
cable to illustrate the concept.
Cable could be loaded on the unit train at the
port of Montreal, for example, and unloaded at
Powerview-Pine Falls, where the track is 300 m
from a bay on the Winnipeg River that flows into
Lake Winnipeg. The total distance between these
two locations is about 2500 km.
In this proposal it would take 29 flatcars to
transport 50 km of cable. A 29 flatcar train is
almost 600 m in length. The procedure to load or
unload the cable requires a track at the dockside
to be twice the length of the train, or 1.2 km in
this case. Both the Montreal and Powerview-Pine
Falls locations meet this requirement.
When the ship with cable arrives in Montreal,
the cable would be immediately transferred
onto a turntable positioned on or near the dock
and adjacent to a railway track. It is necessary
to quickly unload the ship to avoid expensive
port costs estimated at about $200,000 per day
for a cable ship. The turntable would be at the
midpoint of the required 1.2 km of track. From
the turntable, the end of the cable would be
lifted to the top of a 10-metre gantry, propelled
by a “caterpillar” (a special traction machine for
this purpose). The gantry would overhang the
railway track and from there the cable would be
lowered onto the floor of the first flatcar. The
train would then advance along the track and
the cable would continue to be released and laid
on all following cars until the end of the train.
When the cable reaches the end of the last car,
a steel rim, three metres in diameter would be
fitted on the cable and pressed up to the vertical
length of cable extending from the top of the
gantry. At this point the train would back up,
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 67
with the result that the cable would be draped are required to address congestion or delay
over the rim and then descend to the floor to contingencies in the supply chain and to meet
form the second row and continue to be laid on schedules.
the flatcars as they proceed down the track.
Modified end cars, cable rims, tie downs and
On reaching the end car, the cable would once fastenings would need to be engineered for the
again be fitted with a steel rim, and with the same stress and forces of moving the train and cable.
procedure as described above, it would double The systems to load and unload the cable onto
back to form the third row. In this manner, with the train would also have to be engineered for this
the train going back and forth, the entire 50 novel concept. System testing would have to be
km of cable could be loaded in about a week. conducted to verify that the procedures outlined
A second section of cable could be hauled by in this concept would work in practice, and would
loading another set of cars with 50 km cable. In be acceptable to the cable manufacturer, railway
this case the total train would consist of 58 cars company and insurance underwriters.
and would transport 100 km of cable.
In total a cable would be handled six times before
On each car there would be 22 rows of cable and the cable is laid. In ocean waters cables are usually
it would be necessary to have four layers of cable handled twice.
extending along the length of the train. The end
As stated previously, four different concepts
cars would contain the loops of cable with steel
to transport the cable were considered. In its
rims supporting each loop end. Each 22-row layer
deliberations, the Panel decided that Proposal
would result in 11 loops at each end of the train.
1 had the highest merit for further research and
With four layers of cable there would be four sets
development, and potential implementation.
of rim-held loops positioned about 4.5 m from
Although apparently superior to the others, all
each other on the end cars. See Figure 25.
are presented in Appendix 4 for information.
Proposals 3 and 4 require that the cables be
Flatcars at each end of the train would be 28.6 m
coiled, whereas Proposals 1 and 2 do not. With
long (94 ft), and the intervening cars would have
advances in cable technology, especially with
a length of 19.5 m (64 ft). The end cars would
respect to greater tolerance of torsional twist,
carry approximately 81 tonnes of cable and the
Proposals 3 and 4, or additional proposals, may
shorter cars would carry about 77 tonnes.
be developed in future.
Unloading the cable would take place at
Powerview-Pine Falls, where the railway track is
about 300 m from a bay where a barge would be
moored. A special gantry system would remove
the cable from the train in a manner similar to
the way in which the cable was loaded, with
the train moving 600 m forward and 600 m
back. During the unloading process, the cable
would be directed along a conveyer system of
rollers leading to the dock and onto a turntable
on a barge. The barge would then be towed to
Lake Winnipeg where the laying of the cable
would take place. Cable storage facilities with
two additional turntables at the rail siding

68 - Manitoba Hydro
4.3 Transportation of short lengths of Figure 26: Equipment to move 500kV AC cable reels in the
submarine or underground cable factory (Photo from IEEE ICC 2007, Nexans France)

This investigation began with suggestions to

install submarine cables in Lake Winnipeg as an
alternative to overhead line construction. It was
postulated that long continuous submarine cables
could be successfully transported using multiple
rail cars, as described previously. Although
investigations so far indicate feasibility, the entire
procedure needs to be researched by mechanical
engineers familiar with power cable engineering,
as well as railway professional engineers who
could evaluate the possible negative effects on
train dynamics and stability. This proposal must
also be reviewed by insurance underwriters to
determine the risk acceptance. There must be a
high degree of confidence that the relatively stiff
group of cables spanning several rail cars would Figure 27: Lifting cable reels at site (source: www.neptunerts.
not cause any issues during transportation. com)

An alternative to the transportation and use of

long lengths of cable could be shipping shorter
lengths of cable on large reels for use in both
underground and submarine applications,
recognizing that hundreds of field installed joints
would be necessary. The length limits for cables
on reels must also consider the whole supply
chain from manufacturing to site, as follows.

• Moving cable reels around cable factory

(Figure 26)

• Fitting cable reels into degassing ovens or

tanks at factory (XLPE cables).

• Moving cables into high voltage testing

lab for routine tests on each shipping
length at factory.

• Lifting reels onto trucks, rail cars and ships

(Figure 27)

• Transportation to site (underpass

clearances, bridge loadings, road width
and bearing capacity, etc.).

• Capacity of reel carriers at site ( Figure 28)

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 69

For rail transport, the maximum allowable reel Figure 28: Reel carrier at site (Photo from IEEE ICC Spring
weight for typical flat cars would be about 100 2008, Prysmian)
tonnes. Deducting an allowance for the empty
reel weight would leave about 85 net tonnes for
cable. The maximum cable length per reel can be
calculated for the assumed 500 kV AC and DC
submarine cables, as follows.

The outside dimensions of a cable reel are limited

by the flange diameter and the axial reel length.
Maximum flange diameter is usually less than 4.2
m. This allows an additional 0.05 m for protective
lagging or battens over the reel circumference. The
combined outside diameter of 4.3 m is a typical
maximum width for North American rail cars
and road vehicles. The reel axial length is usually
governed by the maximum allowable gross
reel weight when loaded with cable. The other
critical dimension is the barrel diameter, which is
determined by the minimum bending diameter of
the cable.

Applying these limits provides the following reel

dimensions.

Table 15: Reel dimensions for maximum submarine cable length for rail transport (approximate)

Minimum Bending Maximum

Cable External Reel Dimensions
Cable weight Diameter (24 x cable Cable Length
Cable Description Diameter Barrel x Flange x
(kg/m) diameter) per Reel
(m) Axial Length (m)
(m) (m)

500 kV AC XLPE 1600

65 0.160 3.6 1200 3.6 x 4.2 x 8.0
mm2

500 kV DC MI 1000
44 0.120 2.8 1800 2.8 x 4.2 x 3.5
mm2

70 - Manitoba Hydro
Once the cable reels are transported to With this procedure the number of joints in
Powerview-Pine Falls near the dock where the Routes 4, 5 and 6 would be as follows:
barge would be moored, the jointing of these
short lengths of cable could proceed – AC lengths • Route 4 – 534 km/1.8 km = 297 joints
being 1.2 km and DC 1.8 km. A large jointing • Route 5 – 861 km/1.8 km = 478 joints
house would be constructed at this location,
• Route 6 – 960 km/ 1.2 km = 800 joints
large enough to contain three jointing assembly
lines. Outside this structure there would be
The time that it would take to install the cable in
three approximately 20 km capacity turntables
Routes 4, 5 and 6 would be as follows (see Table
dedicated to each of the assembly lines. Nearby,
17):
there would also be a large 50 km storage
turntable. • Route 4 – 3 summers

The jointing procedure would be carried out by • Route 5 – 5 summers

three jointing crews, working simultaneously, • Route 6 – 6 summers
whereby each crew would complete the joints
for one-third of a 50 km length of cable. In
the course of this procedure, the ensuing three Figure 29: Transport of spare 500 kV DC submarine cable
lengths of cable would be loaded onto the three (Photo from IEEE ICC Mar 21-24 2010, Prysmian)
separate small turntables. Afterwards, there would
be two alternatives. These three lengths could be
transferred directly to the barge where they could
be jointed in the barge jointing house and the
completed 50 km length would be laid on the
barge turntable. Alternatively, if the barge were
not available, the three approximately 17 km
lengths could be transferred as separate pieces
onto the storage turntable. Later they would be
transferred onto the barge for jointing and storage
on the barge turntable.

In the case of DC cable, a 50 km length would

have 27 joints, i.e., 50/1.8 = 28 pieces (27 joints).
At five days to construct each joint, the time to There are several examples of long underground
assemble 50 km would be 27 x 5= 135/3 equals cable circuits joined together from shorter cables
45 days or approximately seven weeks. shipped on reels, as shown in Table 16.
In the case of AC cable, a 50 km length would
have 41 joints, i.e., 50/1.2= 42 pieces or 41 joints.
At five days to construct each joint, the time to
assemble 50 km would be 41 x 5 = 205/3 equals
68 days or 10 weeks (2 ½ months).

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 71

Table 16: Examples of long 300-500 kV underground cable applications, shipped on reels and joined in the field
(completed and planned)

No. of Longest Total

Route
Voltage Cable Shipping Reel Cable Number
Application Year Length
kV Insulation Lengths per Length Length of Joints
(km)
Application (m) (km)

Tokyo ‘Shin-Toyosu’ (2
2000 500 AC XLPE N/A 1800 40 2 x 3 x 40 N/A
circuits)

Greece-Italy (land SCFF (in

2002 400 DC N/A N/A 43 43 N/A
segment) Italy)

Neptune (New Jersey

– Long Island) (land 2007 500 DC MI 24 975 22.5 22.5 23
segment)

DolWin1 2012-
320 DC XLPE N/A N/A 90 2 x 90 N/A
(land segment) 13

Skagerrak IV (land
2014 500 DC MI N/A N/A 90 90 N/A
segment)

Maximum underground cable lengths can also be calculated using the same methods as used for
submarine cables, but with a net 65 tonne limit due to road weight restrictions, not considering
special conditions along final right-of-way.

Reel dimensions can be determined using the same methods as for submarine cables.

Table 17: Reel dimensions for maximum underground cable length for truck transport

Cable Description Cable Cable External Minimum Bending Maximum Cable Reel Dimensions
weight Diameter Diameter (24 x cable Length per Reel Barrel x Flange x
(kg/m) (m) diameter) (m) Axial Length
(m) (m)

500 kV AC XLPE 1400 mm2 25 0.131 3.1 1800 3.1 x 4.2 x 5.5
copper

500 kV DC XLPE 1000 mm2 11 0.105 2.5 4000 2.5 x 4.2 x 6.0
aluminum

Compared to the submarine cable alternatives,
the above four kilometre lengths for DC cables
would require substantially fewer joints and they
could be of the pre-molded type, leading to faster
installation times for underground applications.
For Routes 2 and 3 approximately 131 and 197
joints would be required respectively. Installing
four kilometre lengths of underground cables
would require novel methods, including use of
travelling reel carriers to side-load cables directly
into prepared trenches or use of many serial
powered rollers and cable pushers to assist
end pulling machines. Results of cable system
reliability calculations summarized in Table
13 indicate that the extra effort to ship four
kilometre lengths of underground DC XLPE
cables may not provide a significant increase in
reliability, although there could be savings in
jointing costs.

72 - Manitoba Hydro
5 Cable Installation
This section describes both submarine and land
cable installations, the equipment required,
schedule and processes.
5.1 Submarine Cable Installation
The laying of submarine cable in Lake Winnipeg
would be conducted from a barge, with its base
at a dock in a bay of the Winnipeg River at
Powerview-Pine Falls – only a few kilometres
from the lake. Three potential submarine cable
routes have been identified for illustrative
purposes.
The procedure for laying cable underwater is
complex. A cable laying vessel, a barge in this
instance, is the heart of a cable laying operation.
Hence it is useful to provide a description of the
barge and its wide variety of equipment. The
procedure for jointing and burying the cable
in a trench on the lake floor is described to aid
understanding.
5.1.1 Cable Laying Barge
The cable barge is a specially equipped marine
vessel for the express purpose of delivery
and installing submarine cable on site. The
cable turntable, jointing equipment, gantries,
navigation systems, power plant and thrusters,
wheel house, living quarters and cranes, are all
contained on the barge.
A local boat building company at Lake Winnipeg
could be capable of building such a barge suitable
for laying cable, with expert advice from a cable
laying company.4 The parameters of the barge are
calculated below as part of this discussion.
The total weight to be transported, including the
weight of the cable, the barge, the turntable, and
all the associated equipment, would be about
4,000 tonnes. The estimated dimensions for a
barge to carry this weight are 65 x 25 x 4 metres.5
When fully loaded, such a barge would have a
draft of about 2.5 m. The boat builder could
build such a barge as a modular structure, with
several possibilities, e.g., a 25 x 25 m section in
the middle, flanked by 20 x 25 m sections at each
end, or three 15 x 25 m sections flanked by 10 x
25 m sections. These sections would be bolted
and welded together to compose a single rigid
unit, with a solid deck on the top. The sections
would also be suitably reinforced to carry the
weight of the turntable and cable. The exact
dimensions and structure of the barge would
have to be determined and designed by a naval
architect.
To tow a large barge of this size as well as the
necessity to keep the barge stationary in rough
weather during the jointing operation may
require both a dynamic positioning (DP) system
and one or more tugboats. A DP system by itself
might be sufficient to propel the barge and keep it
stable, together with anchors, during the jointing
operation, but the cable installation contractor
may decide to use tugboats as well. This may be
for purposes of safety and the necessity to move
the barge as quickly as possible from the loading
dock to the cable laying area, with the final and
furthest destination being about 370 km.
Central to what would be required on the barge
is a motorized 20 m diameter steel turntable,
weighing about 200 tonnes, which would be
located at the midpoint of the barge. It must be
capable of transporting 50 km of cable, where the
DC cable would weigh approximately 2,250 tonnes
and an AC cable approximately 2,500 tonnes.
A specially designed “jointing house,” measuring
about 4 x 17 m [1], would need to be constructed
along one side of the barge at the stern end.
4 A naval architect has provided an estimate of $10 million for
the barge, including some of its basic equipment, but
excluding a dynamic positioning system and thrusters.
5 A naval architect at Transport Canada considered this to be
reasonable, but a full study by a naval architect would be
required for any official approval.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 73
It would have to be constructed in such a manner
that a narrow section of the entire structure on
one side could be opened to allow the jointed
cable to be removed from the inside of the
jointing house and transferred to the laying
equipment and then over the stern laying
wheel into the water. An alternative would be
to construct a “splitable” structure so that the
upper part could be tilted to one side to allow the
jointed cable to be removed.
The jointing house would have to be equipped
with an electric power supply, air-conditioning,
air-drying facilities and hoisting and cable
handling equipment, as well as other equipment
required for the jointing operation.
Together with a DP system, it is usual for cable
laying barges to employ four to eight anchors to
maintain position. During the laying operation,
the DP system with its thrusters would maintain
the barge’s propulsion and position. However,
tugboats may also be used to deploy anchors for
stability during jointing operations.
A bridge and living quarters for the crew would
need to be constructed including sleeping berths,
a galley and common area. Alternatively they
could be provided on a separate barge. Storage
of supplies, extra fuel and additional equipment
could be accommodated in the hold of the barge.
A helicopter landing pad may be required.

As on a dedicated cable laying vessel, the barge 5.1.2 Submarine Cable Trenching
must be equipped with a variety of equipment,
Sometimes the laying of the cable and its
some of it quite bulky. A large wheel or chute is
subsequent burial in a trench are conducted
required at the stern of the barge for deploying
simultaneously from the cable laying vessel. An
cable into the lake. Cable tensioners or linear
alternative would be to bury cables as separate
cable engines (caterpillars) are necessary for the
operations utilizing different vessels, as described
movement of cable on board and for applying
below. In this case, especially because the cable
tension during laying or temporary recovery.
is being laid from a barge with limited space, it
appears advisable to conduct these as separate
Each cable laying operation is different so the
operations.
cable manufacturer and installation contractor
would have to determine the required support
A small barge or other support vessel is therefore
equipment for cable laying.
assumed to be used to operate a cable trenching
machine. For a Lake Winnipeg application in
Of critical importance is a dynamic positioning
bottom sediments, trenching machines would
(DP) system to enable the barge to move along
be relatively small, both in size and weight, e.g.,
a pre-determined course or to remain in a
Nexans Capjet 50 measures 8 x 4 x 2.5 m and
stationary position. This would utilize a GPS-
weighs 12.5 tonnes. The exact size and nature of
supported navigation system. The system would
the support vessel would have to be determined
involve the installation of azimuth thrusters at
by the cable laying contractor. As an alternative, it
each corner of the barge. Four self-contained
may be possible to use a cable trenching machine
diesel-hydraulic power units would be positioned
in conjunction with a new vessel, such as the
on deck at each corner, and a DP navigation
Pumpemaron, specially designed to operate the
control room would be installed at the top of
Nexan’s Capjet. This vessel has a power unit
the barge’s bridge. A video of the assembly of
which operates an engine for its own propulsion,
such a system can be viewed at reference [10].
and for the water pumps to the Capjet. From this
Within certain limits, a DP system should be able
vessel the Capjet is operated by remote control
to maintain a barge’s position even when wind,
and would not need any diver-based operation.
waves or currents threaten to move it off course.

74 - Manitoba Hydro
Figure 30: Nexans Capjet (source: Nexans Norway, Marine Installation Department)
Its first successful operation took place in the
spring of 2010 with the burial of the Valhall cable
(292 km) in the North Sea.
Nexans Capjet is one example of an advanced
form of cable burial equipment that uses the
water-jetting principle for both trenching and
propulsion. Unlike other systems that employ
heavy equipment which could damage the cable,
no force is applied to the cable minimizing the
likelihood of damage. Also, the machine can start
and stop at any point along the route.
When lowered into the water, the Capjet machine
is connected by an umbilical cable to the surface
vessel in order to provide power and data
communication. It carries high-pressure water
pumps to create large water flows at high pressure,
jetting swords, cable tracking equipment, process
monitoring sensors, positioning systems and
powerful lights and cameras. The machine is
neutrally buoyant in water but can be ballasted
during the trenching operation. It can create a
narrow trench to a depth of one to three metres,
depending on the need and the type of sediment.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 75
The machine would be lowered to the lake Figure 32: Hydro-Plow burial machine for simultaneous laying
bottom where it would straddle the already laid and burial (source: www.neptunerts.com, Prysmian)
cable. A narrow projection or “sword” carrying a
row of water nozzles would be pushed alongside
the cable into the lake sediment. Water at
extreme high pressure shoots from the nozzles
fluidizing the sand, silt, mud and clay as the unit
moves along the cable. The cable would sink into
the slurry by gravity and over time, the slurry
would re-solidify.

With excellent sediment conditions along

the central part of Lake Winnipeg, the Capjet
machine should be able to bury the cable in a
trench about a metre deep at a faster rate than the
average of 100 to 200 m per hour,6 so a burial rate
of 1.5 to 2 km per day might be possible.
A video of the Capjet machine in simulated Another alternative machine for very deep burial
operation can be viewed at reference [11]. is the Sumitomo HydroJet which was used for the
There is a wide variety of equipment available for 500 kV DC Kii Channel cables between Honshu
burying power cables, and alternative solutions and Shikoku (Figure 33).
are shown in Figure 31 and Figure 32.

Figure 31: Light duty sled type cable burial system (source: Figure 33: HydroJet Machine (source: Sumitomo Electric USA)
Cabletricity)

6 Information provided by Georg Balog, retired Senior Engineer

from Nexans Norway.

76 - Manitoba Hydro
5.1.3 Cable Jointing Operation 7
In only one part of the lake is it possible to lay a
length of cable without joints – the 50 km section
between Traverse Bay and Riverton. Elsewhere, the
routes are too long for the length of cable that can
be transported, and therefore these shorter pieces
must be jointed or connected together.
In these areas, after the first section of cable is
laid, the end of the cable would be carefully
capped with a cable seal equipped with a pulling
eye and hooking arrangement to which a strong
wire would be attached. The cable would then
be lowered to the lake bottom with a marking
buoy attached. Later, when the barge arrives with
another section of cable, the cable in the water
would be pulled onboard over the laying wheel
and into the jointing house. The end of the cable
on the turntable would be pulled into the jointing
house from the opposite entrance where the two
cables would then be joined.
The newly-joined cable would be removed from
the jointing house either through the opening of
a slot along the side of the house or by raising the
upper part of the house to allow the cable to be
removed. If the joint is a flexible joint, the cable
could be transferred through the ordinary laying
equipment of the barge and passed over the stern
wheel into the water. The cable would need to be
kept under suitable tension in order to preserve
the joint from undue bending at the touchdown
point on the lake bottom.
If the joint design is rigid, it could not be pulled
through the ordinary on-barge cable route and
over the stern wheel. With a rigid joint, the cable
would have to be carefully lifted with cranes and
winches to deploy it into cable laying machinery.
This would be a complicated procedure since
great care must be taken to avoid sharp bends of
the cable near the rigid joint area, and equal care
must be exercised in laying it on the lake bottom.
In addition to what has already been mentioned
to be provided in the jointing house, other
specialized equipment would include welding
materials and apparatus for MI cables, a semi-
automatic lapping machine for the application
of insulation tapes, equipment to have the joints
vacuum-dried and a semi-automatic armouring
machine.
Rigid joints cannot be used for MI DC cable,
but for Lake Winnipeg they could be used for
cable with extruded insulation and for AC
cables. Hence, if XLPE AC cables were to be
installed, steel casing tubes would be required.
The following descriptions are for flexible joints
applied to MI DC cables.
Jointing is a highly specialized procedure that
requires a team of highly skilled technicians. It
would take approximately five days to make each
joint on the cable laying vessel. Certified jointers
for 500 kV cables are scarce and it may not be
possible to find any in North America. Therefore
it may be necessary to bring skilled workers from
Europe or Asia.
Before the onset of a jointing operation, there
must be some assurance of reasonable weather
conditions for several days. However, Lake
Winnipeg is notorious for sudden storms,
8
despite good weather forecasts. Hence, weather
may prove to be a hazard, especially during
the jointing sessions. Heavy weather imposes
a risk for the jointing crew and the cable. The
greatest danger would occur if a severe storm
should cause the cable tensioners to slip or
the securing devices to break and the cable
becomes unfastened in the jointing room.
Once the jointing process is started it cannot be
interrupted, so the cable would have to be cut
and the process restarted, resulting in lost time
and money.
7 In this section, reference has been made to sections of
Thomas Worzyk, Submarine Power Cables, Berlin: Springer,
2009 [1]
8 Information provided by Captain Curtis Grimolfson, an
experienced fisherman, operator of tugboats, and captain
on cruise ships on Lake Winnipeg and the Red River.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 77
The procedure for making a flexible joint is Figure 34: Submarine MI Cable Flexible Joint
essentially the same as occurs in the production (Source: Cabletricity)
of a factory joint. This is a time-
consuming and exacting task that
requires highly trained personnel.
The joints must have the same
mechanical and electrical properties
as the cable itself.

The jointing process begins with

welding the conductors of the two
cable ends. Stranded conductors are
welded either with a single welding
seam across the entire diameter,
or wire-by-wire. Great skill must
be exercised to avoid defects such
as discontinuities, cracks, porosity,
incomplete fusion or penetration
and nonmetallic inclusions. Ideally,
the weld quality should be checked
by X-rays. The electrical conductivity
of the weld must be sufficiently high to avoid a
hotspot in the cable.
The next step is to apply the insulation, normally
the same structure as the cable insulation. The
existing insulation on the two cable ends must
be tapered to form conical surfaces. The new
insulation material is applied between the two
tapered ends, and is usually thicker than the cable
insulation in order to reduce the electric stress.
The insulation on a flexible joint has a similar
structure to that of the cable, and is comprised
of a conductor screen, the electric insulation
and an insulation screen. The screens are made
from carbon-black paper tapes. The paper
tapes are pre-impregnated and can be applied
manually, but preferably with a semi-automatic
lapping machine. It is critical that the joints
be manufactured in a humidity-controlled and
temperature-controlled jointing room.
Before the conductor welding takes place, a lead
sheath, in the form of a cylinder and slightly larger
than the cable, is slid over one of the cables and
“parked” there until it is time to install it. When
the insulation process is completed, the lead
sheath is pushed over the jointed area and the
ends are tapered or swaged to fit tightly over the
insulation. The excess is trimmed and the sheath
is soldered to the cable’s lead sheath. Next, the
joint is vacuum-dried and hot-oil impregnated to
achieve fully saturated paper-oil insulation. Then,
a protective polymetric shrink tube is applied over
the lead sheath and adjoining area.
Finally, the gap between the armouring of the
two cables is closed with pre-spiraled wire. The
wires are welded on one side of the joint and then
twined around the joint and connected to the
wires on the other side where they can be welded
or be connected by special screw connectors. In
the course of connecting the wires, it is necessary
to maintain the tensional forces in the armouring.
The procedure can be simplified by using a
patented semi-automatic portable armouring
machine.

78 - Manitoba Hydro
The completed flexible joint can be transferred
through the ordinary laying equipment and
passed over the stern laying wheel into the water.
5.1.4 Cable Laying Procedure
Long before the cable is laid, the cable routes
must be precisely determined and carefully
surveyed to avoid crossing underwater
obstructions, if possible, and to ensure that
there would be no obstacles in the sediment. For
example, over the years there have been a number
of shipwrecks on the lake, as well as lost fishing
gear and anchors. Given the amount of sediment
in the lake from both glacial Lake Agassiz and
Lake Winnipeg itself, it would be unusual to find
rocks in the sediment.
A careful survey would have to be conducted to
determine the depth and extent of ice scour and
impact of other natural hazards, for the complete
cable routes. This would determine the depth
to which the cable would have to be buried in
various locations.
It would be prudent to dig or excavate the
trenches at the terminal points for the onshore
three (DC) or four (AC) lines of cable during the
fall before the laying operation. The trench profile
must be engineered with respect to thermal
properties, and the trenches would extend as far
inland as necessary to reach a suitable location for
the terminal station. Alternately, conduits could
be pre-installed through the littoral zone and
cables pulled through them into land trenches
when the cable laying barge arrives.
When all the land preparations are completed,
the barge with a load of cable would be towed as
close as possible to the landing site and remain
anchored or maintained in place by its DP system.
On the shore, a winch would be installed with a
pull wire extending to the barge and connected to
the cable end. The cable could then be extended
over the laying wheel, and where it would enter
the water, floatation devices would be attached
so it could be more easily pulled onto the shore.
The winch would haul in the pull wire and the
cable to its destination at the terminal. During the
pull-in, the cable would be guided on a system of
rollers, either within the trench or alongside it. In
the case of the latter, the cable would be pushed
into the trench afterwards. Once in its proper
position, the cable should be anchored and as the
floatation devices are removed, it would settle on
the lake bottom. The barge could then proceed
with the regular cable laying operation.
At the end transition station, a somewhat different
procedure would be followed. The barge would
be brought as close as possible to the shore. The
remaining cable on the barge would then be
equipped with floatation devices. At this point the
barge would change direction and proceed a short
distance parallel to the shore while the rest of the
cable is played out. A pull wire would be attached
to the cable end and the floating cable would be
pulled ashore by a winch positioned on shore or
near the terminal station (see Figure 52).
It is necessary to have properly trained personnel
operating the cable laying equipment. Various
procedures, including the speed of the barge,
must be synchronized, otherwise damage could
occur to the cable. A series of operations would
be involved. From the motorized turntable, the
cable would run over a moveable pickup arm with
cable rollers, through a cable tensioner (or a linear
cable engine), and then over the laying wheel and
finally into the water. The pickup arm has the
shape of a gooseneck, and in the gap between the
turntable and the gooseneck, the cable could hang
loose. The slack is necessary to absorb possible
temporary speed differences between turntable
and tensioner engines. The gooseneck is highly
maneuverable, being pivotal and adjustable in
height.
The cable could not be let down to the lake
bottom vertically because of possible looping
and violation of minimum bending radius limits.
Instead, the cable would have to be positioned
in a well-defined catenary line from the laying
wheel to its point of contact on the lake sediment.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 79
This would be done by the correct forward about 10 km per day9 , so it would take about five
movement of the barge which would cause days to lay one length of cable. Each cable joint
the cable to hit the bottom at an acceptable would take about five days as well. The barge may
angle. An inappropriate catenary line or bottom have a speed of about six knots, so it could take
tension could be corrected by a temporary extra up to two days to tow the barge from the dock at
pay-out from the turntable, or by a temporary Powerview–Pine Falls to the construction site.10
acceleration of barge speed. The bottom tension Trenching and burial of cable could be done at
is a critical factor in successful laying. a rate of about two km per day under favourable
conditions.
Variations in equipment speeds (barge,
turntable, tensioners, etc.) can cause a cable
kink, loop or damage to both cable and 5.1.5 Cable Laying Schedule
deck equipment. Hence, the necessity for an
To determine how long it would take to lay
experienced and properly trained crew. Lake
the cable at the potential submarine cable
Winnipeg’s ideal sediment conditions and
routes, it was necessary to work out a ship-train-
shallowness would facilitate cable laying
barge schedule for each. In the case of Route
operations. On the other hand, sudden storms
4, the schedule (Appendix 8) shows that, with
could prove to be a hazard for which the crew and
favourable weather and no disruptions or delays,
operators must be prepared.
it might be possible to lay the 534 km of cable
in about 1 ½ seasons (approximately mid-
Once the jointing operation begins, a different
May through to the end of October). However,
type of work schedule would ensue. The laying
because of the certainty of disruptive storms and
and jointing crews would take turns on the
the possibility of some delays involving ship,
barge. After the first length of cable is installed,
train or barge, the required contingency time
on the barge’s return with the second length, on
may very well take up the remaining part of the
board would be the jointing technicians and not
second season.
the laying crew. On the fifth day when the joint
is about to be completed, the laying crew would
Similar schedules show that cable installation for
arrive at the barge and the jointing technicians
Route 5 would take three seasons, and up to four
would return to home base at the dock. Since
seasons for Route 6.
the procedure to bury the cable takes longer
than laying the cable, the trenching operations
Table 18 provides a comparison, based on the
would operate continuously as soon as cable
above mentioned schedules, of the time that
laying begins.
would be required to lay the cable in Routes 4,
5 and 6. It also provides a comparison of the
The logistics and a time schedule must be
number of cable joints that would be required
carefully worked out. The sequence of events
in these three routes if the cable is transported to
at the lake begins with the loading of the cable
Lake Winnipeg in long lengths (Section 4.2) or in
on the barge turntable. This is a slow process
short lengths on reels (Section 4.3).
and the speed to transfer cable from a storage
turntable to a ship’s turntable ranges from 500
to 1200 m per hour. To load 45 or 50 km of
cable might take three or four days. As for laying
the cable, in good weather conditions, it may
9
be possible to lay about 15 m per minute or Information provided by Georg Balog.

10 Information on speed provided by Thrustmaster of

Texas and by Captain Curtis Grimolfson.

80 - Manitoba Hydro
Table 18: Cable Installation Durations
Route 4 – DC
Cable Transport Alternatives
(534 km)
Rail cars
Installation Time (summers)
Reels
Rail cars
Number of joints
Reels
Summer is defined as mid May through to the end
of October.
There are many uncertainties in preparing cable
installation estimates and weather conditions are
a major factor. The estimated time for the various
procedures in cable laying has not taken into
consideration any delays that could be caused by
bad weather. Normally, there are many storms
during the course of a summer – some which
might cause serious disruption.
Along with the uncertainty of weather conditions,
there is the added uncertainty of ice conditions
on Lake Winnipeg in the spring. In recent years
the lake has sometimes been free of ice at the
beginning of May. But, on average, the ice-free
period in the south basin begins about mid-May
and in the north basin the beginning of June.11
Aside from weather and ice conditions, there are
a number of other uncertainties – so over all, it
may take longer to install the cable than indicated
in these schedules. It is estimated that 90 to 100
km of cable could be loaded on a turntable in a
minimum of five days (seven were allowed in the
schedule), so to load half this amount on a barge
turntable may take about a minimum of 3 ½ days.
There is also the assumption that 10 km of cable
could be laid per day by a barge. It has also been
assumed that qualified and experienced jointing
11Information on ice conditions in Lake Winnipeg has been
provided by Robert T. Kristjanson, a commercial fisherman,
with over 50 years of experience on Lake Winnipeg. Captain
Curtis Grimolfson is in agreement with these dates.
Route 5 – DC Route 6 – AC
(861 km) (960 km)
2 3 4
3 5 6
9 12 8
297 478 800
technicians could be employed, and that they
would be prepared to work for about five months,
with periodic rotations with relief crews. The
contractor would provide an experienced captain
and crew for cable laying barge operations.
And finally, it should be noted that this cable
laying operation is in many ways a unique
construction project. Never has a major power
transmission cable system been laid in an inland
lake of this size so there are no precedents for this
type of project.
5.2 Underground Cable System Installation
5.2.1 Civil Work
The most extensive work for installing
underground cables would be trenching over
long distances, in some cases through areas of
exposed bedrock, if unavoidable. Construction
equipment and methods would be similar to
those used throughout North America for oil and
gas pipelines, mainly using large tracked hydraulic
excavators with rippers and rock hammer
attachments where necessary. In some areas,
drilling and explosive rock fracturing methods
might be required. Other mechanized equipment
would be used, where practical, for example as
shown in Figure 35. Typical trench depth would
be about 1.5 m, as indicated in Figures 13 and 18.
Only one trench is anticipated.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 81
Figure 35: Trenching machine (IEEE ICC Spring 2007)
For transmission cable applications, it is necessary
to provide high quality engineered backfills
around the cables to conduct heat to the surface
without drying out surrounding materials. For
remote locations it may be necessary to provide
custom aggregate and concrete batch plants.
Typical trenching and backfilling operations in
ideal conditions are shown in Figure 36.
Figure 36: Typical trench excavation and backfill operations in
ideal conditions
Conditions more likely to be encountered at
the sites, as experienced during installation of
an INROCS fibre-optic cable from Gillam to
Winnipeg in 2004, are as shown in Figure 37.
Figure 37: Trenching for installation of INROCS cable in 2004
82 - Manitoba Hydro
5.2.2 Cable Transportation
One of the biggest challenges would be delivering
long lengths of cables to the trenches on reels by
truck. Long cable lengths are desirable because
they reduce the number of cable joints, which
are relatively expensive and labour-intensive.
This results in use of reels with the largest
dimensions transportable on Manitoba roads
(with permits) and weighing about 65 tonnes as
explained elsewhere in this report. Use of 10 to
13 axle tractor trailers is anticipated. Therefore,
temporary roads and water crossings built along
the underground right-of-way must be of suitable
quality. Figure 38 shows typical transportation of
60-tonne cable reels on highways, which would
also need to be accommodated on temporary
construction roads. Figure 39 identifies some of
the associated risks.
Figure 38: Transportation of 60 tonne cable reels on highway
(IEEE ICC Spring 2006)
Figure 39: Tipping hazards when trucking large cable reels on
uneven roads (IEEE ICC Spring 2006)
5.2.3 Cable Installation Figure 41: Cable pulling (IEEE ICC Spring 2008)

Before cables are delivered to site, joint bay

locations would be accurately determined and
built so that arriving cable reels could be quickly
set up (Figure 40), cables pulled between joint
bays (Figure 41) and backfilled. Joints would be
made by specially qualified tradesmen with high
attention to precise workmanship, in weather-
resistant and climate-controlled housings, as
shown in Figure 42. For 500 kV AC underground
cables, there would be a single joint bay at each
jointing location and it would be necessary to
make four joints altogether, including for the
spare cable (see Figure 43). For 500 kV DC
alternatives, it is anticipated that there also be a
single joint bay, containing three joints including Figure 42: Jointing housing over joint bay
for the spare cable.

Figure 40: Cable reel set up on site pulling (IEEE ICC

Spring 2008)

Figure 43: Completed joints in joint bay

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 83

5.2.4 Cable Jointing and Terminating
It is anticipated that one-part premoulded joints
would be used, because the main components
can be factory tested, they are relatively
inexpensive and can be installed quickly. Several
manufacturers have developed joints for 500 kV
AC, however the present limit for DC is about
320 kV. It is assumed that by 2025, when a new
post-Bipole III line is contemplated, they would
also be available for 500 kV DC. Each joint would
take about three to five days to complete, and
with multiple crews working together, all joints at
a jointing location should be completed in about
one week.

Cable terminating is done in climate-controlled

shelters within the transition stations.
Completion of each termination would take
about a week if using only one crew. Multiple
crews would allow several to be done at once.

84 - Manitoba Hydro
6 Transition and Compensation Stations
For both AC and DC systems employing
underground or submarine cables, equipment
is required to make the transition from
underground/submarine to overhead lines, and to
provide for switching and isolation. For AC cable
and submarine systems, additional equipment in
the form of compensation stations is required,
to provide reactive support to transmit useable
power and control the voltage. This chapter
describes this equipment, and its role in the
context of the routes described in this report.
6.1 Transition Stations – 500 kV AC
Where transitions are made from overhead lines
to underground or submarine cables, fenced
transition stations are required. Figures 43 and
44 provide an example for a 500 kV AC double
circuit transition station with a spare seventh
cable. A Manitoba Hydro application would
require only one overhead line to nominally
transmit 1000 MW, with one cable per phase and
a spare. Figure 44 and Figure 45 show a manually
connected transfer bus to allow replacement of
any cable with the spare (at left of Figure 43 and
right of Figure 44).
Figure 44: Example of 500 kV AC Double Circuit Terminal –
End View
Figure 45: Another example of 500 kV AC Double circuit cable
terminal – Side View
A spare cable would be required to keep outage
durations to acceptable operational limits.
Repairs would not be possible in winter due to
frozen surface conditions, difficulty with fault
locating and inhabitable site conditions for
workers on the lake. Instead repairs would be
carried out the following summer. It is assumed
that a manual transfer bus would not be
appropriate for remote locations and that motor-
operated disconnects would be used instead.
This would probably require de-energization
of the overhead circuit in order to operate the
disconnects, due to their inability to interrupt
load or cable charging current, resulting in a
temporary loss of 1000 MW of transmission
capacity from northern generation.
A possible 500 kV AC submarine cable transition
station configuration using disconnects, a spare
cable and shunt reactors is shown in Figure 46.
Detailed system studies would be needed to
determine switching needs for the reactors and
optimum sizes for each cable segment. Outside
dimensions of the fenced and graded area would
be about 72 m by 100 m, not including external
drainage, ground grid extensions beyond the fence
and tree clearing to prevent vegetation growth into
the station.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 85
Figure 46: Overhead Conductor to Underground or Submarine
Cable AC Terminal Transition Station
For submarine-reactor-submarine transition
stations, as would be required where AC
submarine cable lengths would exceed about
50 to 70 km, Figure 49 configuration would
be significantly different. Detailed descriptions
are beyond the scope of this report, but space
would be required for two sets of four cable
terminations, a switched transfer bus arrangement
for the spare cable and several sets of shunt
reactors. Detailed system studies would be needed
to determine switching needs for the reactors and
optimum sizes for each cable segment.
For underground-reactor-underground AC cable
transition stations, layouts would be similar to
those for submarine cables, as described above.
86 - Manitoba Hydro
6.2 Transition Stations – 500 kV DC
500 kV DC overhead-submarine cable transitions
would be similar to AC, except that there would
only be three cables instead of four and only
two overhead line conductors would terminate
on the dead-end structure (positive and negative
poles), assuming a ground electrode return
path. Disconnects would allow substituting the
spare cable for a failed one, using the transfer
bus. Dimensions of the fenced station would
be reduced to about 80 m by 72 m. Figure 47
illustrates a typical DC transition station.
Figure 47: Overhead Conductor to Underground or Submarine
Cable DC Terminal Transition Station
DC overhead-underground transition stations
would be similar to the overhead-submarine
transition stations.
Figure 48 shows a 400 kV DC 500 MW overhead-
underground transition station with a single
monopolar cable. An equivalent overhead-
underground 500 kV DC 1000 MW station with
three cables would be about five times as large.
Figure 48: 400 kV DC single cable transition station (courtesy
of Prysmian)
6.3 Compensation Stations – 500 kV AC
As described in the preceding sections, shunt
reactors would be required to compensate for the
leading reactive power of the cable capacitance.
Otherwise, real power transmission capacity
would be severely limited for long cable lengths
and over-voltage conditions could be excessive
under some operating conditions.
For overhead-submarine transition stations,
considering transportation difficulties to remote
sites, it is assumed that the optimum location
for shunt reactors would be within or adjacent to
the stations, since the large, heavy shunt reactors
could be delivered via landing barge from Lake
Winnipeg. Referring to Figure 50, it appears that
adding several sets of reactors on the line side of
the dead-end structure would be simplest. Some
could be fixed and others switched, for cases
when one cable circuit was out of service, due to
faults, for maintenance or to reduce reactor losses
under favourable loading conditions. However,
it is not electrically necessary to install the shunt
reactors right at the transition stations and there
could be installation, operating and maintenance
benefits by installing them near an existing road
intersection with the overhead lines, provided
distances from transition stations were within
limits determined by system studies. Figure 49
schematically represents what equipment would
be installed at a typical compensation station for
AC underground or submarine cable options.
Figure 49: Underground or Submarine Cable to Underground
or Submarine Cable AC Intermediate Reactive Power
Compensation Station
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 87
Overhead-underground transition stations would
be similar, except that delivery of reactors would
be overland.
Submarine-reactor-submarine transition stations
and underground-reactor-underground transition
stations would be as described in the previous
section on Transition Stations. The former would
be more complex because of the need for spare
cable switching capabilities. It is envisioned that
one set of reactors would be fixed and the other
switched. The reactors for these stations would
need to be about twice the capacity of overhead-
underground cable transition stations because
they would need to provide compensation for
cable charging current in both directions.
Figure 50 shows a 500 kV 135 MVAr 3-phase
shunt reactor, weighing over 200 tonnes. Several
would be required at each terminal station.
Alternatively, single phase reactors could be used.
Reactors of this capacity are filled with insulating
fluid and special containment systems are
required around their bases.
Figure 50: 500 kV 135 MVAr 3 phase shunt reactor
(www.siemens.com)
88 - Manitoba Hydro
6.4 Shore Landing
At some point, all submarine cables come ashore
to be connected to their respective transmission
paths in the power system. The shore landing
requires careful planning and is typically trenched
for mechanical protection against water hazards.
Ice is of particular concern on Lake Winnipeg as
shown in Figure 51.
6.5 Ice Scouring
Lake Winnipeg is a shallow lake with a long fetch
of 240 km in the north basin and 80 km in the
south basin. In some years, this results in large
volumes of ice being driven along the lake by
force of the wind. According to the Geological
Survey of Canada Lake Winnipeg Project: Cruise
Report and Scientific Results [9], “Furrows in the
lake sediments caused by ice keel scours associated
with wind-driven ice pressure ridges have been
found to be in the order of one metre deep, tens
of metres wide and several kilometres long”.
In some years, based on wind direction, the ice
is driven onto the shoreline. This phenomenon
occurred in the spring of 2010 with ice
accumulating in places on the shore to a height of
10 m or more.
Figure 51: Wind Driven Ice on the Shore of Lake Winnipeg
(source: D. Farlinger)
Submarine cables would have to be buried to
a sufficient depth to avoid damage from wind-
driven ice, also considering installation cost
constraints. Further detailed study is required to
determine the extent and depth of the ice keels.

Figure 52: Cable landing at a 300 kV DC terminal station

(source: Cabletricity)

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 89

90 - Manitoba Hydro
7 Cost Comparisons
One of the important requirements of the
Panel’s Terms of Reference was to: ‘… address
cost implications of any concepts that may have
merit.’ The Panel chose to develop this topic
by selecting possible illustrative routes from
northern generation to the Winnipeg area using
combinations of hybrid lines, i.e. overhead lines
combined with submarine cables or underground
cables. Cable types were selected based on
reasonable expectations for availability by about
2025 when a post-Bipole III link would be
required, and in accordance with the other items
in the Terms of Reference.
Budgetary quotes were requested from cable
suppliers and rail transportation companies.
Other costs were obtained from Panel members’
experience on past projects. Quantities were
determined from the selected route layouts, as
summarized in Table 6. Cost estimates were then
prepared using a spreadsheet covering all route
and shipping alternatives, including entirely
overhead AC and DC alternatives, to serve as the
base cases. Results are summarized in Table 19.
The estimates are for labour and material only.

Table 19: Cost estimate summary for route concepts (direct costs only; long length submarine cable shipping by rail
assumed feasible for this table)

Route Lengths
(km) Cost Premium
Cost Estimate
Route Type Description above Base
(M$)
Over- Cable (M$)
Total
head System

1 DC All overhead via Cedar Lake 1,273 0 1,273 635 (DC Base)

O/H with U/G along east side of

2 DC 1,025 175 1,200 1,076 441
Lake Winnipegosis

O/H with U/G along west side of

3 DC 830 262 1,092 1,236 601
Lake Winnipeg

O/H along west side of Lake

4 DC Winnipeg with submarine 812 178 990 995 360
section (long length shipping)

O/H with two submarine sections

5 DC exiting at Traverse Bay (long 704 287 991 1,319 684
length shipping)

1 AC All overhead via Cedar Lake 1,273 0 1,273 809 (AC Base)

O/H with U/G along east side of

2 AC 1,025 175 1,200 1,942 1,133
Lake Winnipegosis

O/H with U/G along west side of

3 AC 830 263 1,092 2,387 1,579
Lake Winnipeg

O/H with two submarine sections

6 AC exiting at Traverse Bay (long 703 240 993 2,268 1,459
length shipping)

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 91

Assumptions and notes: Sources for Cost Estimates:

1. Costs are expressed in 2010 CAD dollars. • Cable supply costs were based on budgetary quotes
2. 500 kV AC overhead line is single circuit capable of from suppliers.
1000 MW. • Overhead line costs were based on Manitoba Hydro
3. 500 kV DC overhead line is similar to Bipole I-II 500 kV AC and DC line cost estimates
construction. • Overhead line costs were based on Manitoba Hydro
4. DC underground cables are XLPE. 500 kV AC line costs.
5. DC submarine cables are MI due to maturity • Stations and local service were based on Manitoba
6. AC underground cables are XLPE. Hydro cost estimates.
7. AC submarine cables are XLPE. • Transportation costs by rail were estimates from CN
8. For underground options, cables would be shipped logistics.
from Thunder Bay to site by truck (4.0km cable/truck • Trucking costs were supplied by a Manitoba trucking
for DC; 1.8 km cable/truck for AC). firm.
9. For submarine options with no long train shipping, • Transportation of underground cables by sea were
cables would be shipped from Thunder Bay to based on a per diem cost of $250k per day. Submarine
Powerview/Pine Falls by rail (1.8 km cable/car for DC; cable transportation by sea was based on $5M per 100
1.2 km cable/car for AC). km (or one ship load).
10. For submarine options with long train shipping, cables • Tunnel cost estimates were derived from a similar
would be shipped from Montreal, Prince Rupert or project in Vancouver.
Vancouver, a maximum distance of about 2500 km.
11. MH Project Management and Engineering costs not
included.
12. Contingencies not included.
13. Interest during construction not included.
14. Insurance for cable transportation not included.
15. Converter costs for DC alternatives not included.
16. Static VAR compensator for AC alternatives not
included.
17. Cable manufacturing capacity is assumed available.
18. Taxes and import duties not included.
19. Estimates are Class 5, as defined by AACE
International, to be used only for concept screening
purposes with low project definition. Class 5 estimates
typically have accuracies in the following range:
Low: -20% to -50%
High: -30% to +100 %”
20. All estimates contain only labour and material.

92 - Manitoba Hydro
 A table of cost premiums for submarine cabling
over an equivalent length of overhead line for
1000 MW is presented below in the Table 20: Cost
Premiums for Equivalent Line Lengths.

Table 20: Cost Premiums for Equivalent Line Lengths

1000 MW Transmission System - Submarine Cable Premium when compared to similar length OH line

Route Total Total OH OH Submarine Submarine # of Submarine Submarine Ratio

Submarine Overhead Cost segment segment + OH Cables segment segment Submarine/
Cable Route per Cost ($M) cost ($M) segment cost per cost per OH
Route Length route Cost ($M) route km cable km per route-km
Length (km) km ($M/km) ($M/km)
(km) ($M)

4 DC 178 812 0.499 405.2 589.8 995.0 3 3.3 1.1 6.6

5 DC 287 704 0.499 351.3 967.7 1319.0 3 3.4 1.1 6.8

6 AC 240 703 0.6355 446.8 1821.2 2268.0 4 7.6 1.9 11.9

These are represented as ratios:

submarine segment (cost per route km)
overhead segment (cost per route km)

These estimates and ratios that express the

premiums include labour and material only.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 93

7.1 Interpretation of Estimate Results
Referring to Table 19, it is clear that the base case
DC overhead line solution (1 DC) is the least
costly at approximately $0.635B, not including
converters.
A comparative AC overhead line solution (1 AC)
would cost about $0.809B, which is less than the
DC base case if converter costs were included.
The least costly hybrid DC or AC route would be
approximately 1.6 and 2.4 times more expensive
respectively, than the base overhead route.
The exercise has helped to illustrate how care
must be taken when quoting comparative costs
between overhead and underground/submarine
cable solutions. If comparing, for example, 10
km of overhead versus 10 km of cables, cost
premiums for cables expressed in $/km would be
considerably higher as shown in Table 20. But
when comparisons are made with actual hybrid
solutions, such as when overhead line length is
much longer, overall cost premiums for solutions
with cables are reduced.

The least costly DC alternatives with submarine

cables would be Routes 4 DC and 5 DC through
the Eastern Interlake or Traverse Bay routes,
costing about $0.995B or $1.319B respectively.

The least costly AC alternatives with submarine

cables would be Route 6 AC along the east side of
Lake Winnipeg, costing about $2.268B.

The next least costly alternatives to overhead lines

would be to use underground cables instead of
submarine cables.

Notwithstanding the assumed estimating

accuracy, which reduces the ability to resolve
comparative costs for similarly priced alternatives,
it is clear that an overhead AC or DC solution is
the lowest cost. Any alternative solutions using
cables would result in an increased cost of at least
$0.360B and as high as $1.579B, and assumes
that submarine cables could be successfully
transported to Lake Winnipeg in continuous
lengths on long trains. Evidence shows that if this
was not possible, costs would be higher.

94 - Manitoba Hydro
8 Regulatory Issues
8.1 Licencing
The project will require a licence under The
Environment Act of Manitoba as a Class 3
development. Projects of this nature always
involve a public review and if there is significant
public interest, a project may be referred by the
Minister of Conservation to the Manitoba Clean
Environment Commission. A major transmission
project would almost certainly involve a public
hearing prior to the issuance of a licence by the
Minister to construct.
Aboriginal Interests
The project will almost certainly involve
discussions and negotiations with First Nations
and other Aboriginal peoples in the vicinity of
the transmission route. Supreme Court rulings
have clarified that the Crown has a legal duty to
consult with Aboriginal people about any action
that might affect the exercise of an Aboriginal
or Treaty right before taking any action. The
Crown must reasonably accommodate concerns
about the effects of a project like the one under
review. Discussions on these matters have
typically involved substantial negotiations about
economic opportunities associated with a project.
8.2 Regulatory Issues with Lake Winnipeg
Routing
One of the largest environmental regulatory
issues for submarine cable alternatives will be
to obtain a license from Fisheries and Oceans
Canada due to the potential disturbance/harm
to fish habitat when installing cables. This will
trigger a Canadian Environmental Assessment
Agency (CEAA) review due to having to issue
a permit under Section 35 of the Fisheries Act
(Harmful Alteration Disruption or Destruction of
fish habitat (HADD)).
Other Federal reviews required would include
the Department of Transport under CEAA to deal
with impacts under the Navigable Waters Protection
Act and a Comprehensive Study requirement that
would involve the Major Projects Management
Office. All of this may then require a federal panel
review of the project under CEAA.
Part of the problem with submarine transmission
for regulators in this Province is that it will be
new technology applied at a fairly large scale. This
will mean that regulators will need assurance that
the project is feasible, minimizes environmental
effects and has limited risk of failure that could
cause continuing lifetime environmental damage
(e.g. release of contaminants into Lake Winnipeg,
disturbance of lake bottom and marine habitat).
This will likely increase the challenge and time
to get environmental approvals as regulators
may impose commitments with respect to future
submarine cable repairs as part of the initial
project approval.
There will be other legislation that will need to
be dealt with including Species at Risk Act for
threatened and endangered species.
New approvals may be required for each repair
operation and an Environmental Management
Plan may need to be provided with the original
application that describes how submarine cable
repairs would be carried out.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 95
96 - Manitoba Hydro
9 Project Risks
9.1 Design Risks
Extreme ambient temperatures
As described in the foregoing, ambient
temperatures can get very low at the site,
approaching -50 °C for air and -1 °C at a cable
burial depth on land of about one metre. Industry
standard cable system tests do not cover operation
at such low temperatures, hence there is no proof
by test that joints and terminations will perform
adequately at such low temperatures. New cable
system custom tests would be required to prove
suitability of any of the concept cable systems
for applications at the site. Until such tests are
conducted, it cannot be assumed that cable
applications at the site are feasible.
Cable System reliability
Calculations based on broadly gathered industry
statistics show that underground cable system
failures could be expected between every three to
seventeen years on average, depending on selected
cable solution. For the least costly underground
solution, Route 2 DC, a failure could be expected
about once every four years. Frequency of
failures would not only present a high financial
and system reliability risk, it would also pose
a permitting and public relations risk, since
repetitive environmental impacts would occur
with every repair.
Since there are presently no 500 kV AC XLPE
submarine cable systems in service, it was
not possible to predict performance with
confidence for such long lengths studied as part
of this report. Cable system reliability is directly
proportional to length, so care must be taken in
predicting performance of very long lines based
on that of shorter lines. Notwithstanding the lack
of data, submarine cable failures can be expected.
Number of joints
Cable joints are subjected to the same
development and prototype tests as cables,
so in theory, they should be at least as robust
and reliable. However, there is always some
uncertainty about projecting installation quality.
Installation quality assurance can be improved
by use of detailed checklists, ensuring workers are
adequately trained and supervised, and following
the best work practices.
Largest single contingency
Since there are spare cable provisions for both
submarine and underground solutions, the
largest single contingency for AC alternatives
would be loss of a 1000 MW overhead line. For
DC alternatives the largest single contingency
would be loss of an entire 1000 MW bipolar
overhead line. The next biggest would be loss
of a 500 MW pole. Special protection systems
may be required to maintain stable operation
of the Manitoba Hydro power system for the
largest contingency. The North American Electric
Reliability Corporation (NERC), who defines
performance standards, continues to advance the
elimination of special protection systems in the
market place due to the large interdependencies
with neighbouring utilities.
Manufacturer warranty
It is possible that for a project of this scope and
value, and considering overall risks, contractors
may not be willing to provide a five year warranty,
which is preferred.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 97
Route siting
Route siting in northern Manitoba imposes a
number of constraints on the physical location
of a transmission line, underground cable,
submarine cable, and associated compensation
and transition stations because of terrain and
environmental conditions. Risks for site access,
site suitability and natural hazards, such as lake
ice island scouring effects on submarine cables,
need to be factored into design processes for
effective and practical mitigation during project
implementation stages.
Transportation Risk
Perhaps the greatest risk of installing long lengths
of submarine cable in a large land-locked lake
is the number of times that the cable must be
handled, and thus the number of occasions
during which the cable could be damaged.
Conventionally, cables are installed between
two ocean-based locations. The cable may be
loaded onto a cable laying vessel at the site of the
manufacturer, transported to the origin of the
line and then laid on the ocean bottom to the
terminus. In this way the cable is only handled
twice, during loading and then for laying. In
the case of a land-locked location such as Lake
Winnipeg, with long train transportation the
cable would be loaded onto an ocean-going
vessel, shipped to a port in Canada such as
Montreal, transferred to a large turntable, loaded
onto a train and then delivered to a lakeside
location in Manitoba such as Powerview-Pine
Falls. There it would be transferred to another
turntable or a cable laying barge for laying on the
lake bottom. In this case the cable would have to
be handled five, or as many as six times, resulting
in a greater probability of damage.
Each of these transfers subjects the cable to stress
and possibility of human or equipment error, and
there would be the added stress of hauling it 2500
km on the train. To enable the cable to have
the necessary flexibility for the train to navigate
98 - Manitoba Hydro
curves, the cable would be laid loosely enough
on the train cars so that each line of cable would
have numerous wiggles along its entire length,
thereby enabling it to have flexibility. Regardless,
the cables would have an inherent flexural
stiffness that would need to be quantified and
taken into account when combined as a group
between rail car couplings. If it were deemed
necessary to have additional flexibility, the cables
could be loaded with a sufficient upward curve
at the junction between each of the cars, which
would provide additional manoeuvrability. It is
critical that the cable be loaded in an appropriate
manner. Otherwise, without the necessary
flexibility and support, a train derailment could
occur.
The likelihood of damage to the cable during rail
transport is unknown at this time. Transformer
equipment is regularly damaged during rail
transport and because of this, steps are taken
to mitigate and monitor the apparatus during
transport. Extensive analysis and testing would
have to be carried out to warranty this method of
shipment.
Transportation of cable on reels by truck or
train has its associated risks, but this method
is used today and smaller sections of cables
are transported, inherently minimizing the
consequences and therefore risk of loss. However
more joints are required, which introduce
offsetting reliability risks and jointing costs.
Transportation schedule delays
There is the possibility that delays could occur
occasionally in loading long lengths of submarine
cable on a ship’s turntable or in unloading it on a
turntable at the receiving dock. Also, since a single
cable manufacturer may not be able to supply
sufficient cable to meet the needs of the project, a
second manufacturer may be required. Problems
may occur in meeting exact schedules with two
manufacturers.
Laying separate complete lines with cable from
two different manufacturers should not present a
technical problem, but there could be a liability
problem in attempting to joint cable from
different producers, especially if joint failures
should occur. Such eventualities must be taken
into consideration.
Once a routine is established in loading
submarine cable on a train and unloading, it
would be expected that the procedure should be
flexible in order to meet any expected delivery
schedule.
Transporting underground or submarine cable
on reels by truck could be subject to a variety
of delays, ranging from loading to unloading
problems, mechanical breakdowns and problems
with traffic congestion or road conditions,
especially on roads near the installation sites.
Weather conditions have ramifications at all levels
of the delivery schedule. Severe storms could delay
the arrival of the cable ship in port or interfere
with the unloading of cable at a port Weather
could also impact loading cable onto a train,
train movement, or unloading at its destination.
Storms on Lake Winnipeg could also seriously
affect the barge cable laying schedule. Maps show
areas of shallow water in Traverse Bay near the
mouth of the Winnipeg River, which presumably
could pose problems for a barge with a draft
of 2.5 metres. However, municipal officials at
Powerview-Pine Falls have provided assurance
that barges with heavy loads of pulpwood have
been brought through the area with no problems,
and that sailing boats with deep keels sail in
this area. Nevertheless, this should be further
investigated. Dredging equipment is available
on Lake Winnipeg if necessary, but using it may
increase permitting risk.
Jointing workmanship
Each joint must be professionally produced
so that its mechanical strength and electrical
properties would be equal to the cable itself,
otherwise a line failure could occur.
It appears that there are differing views among
the manufacturers on the reliability of cable
lines with a large number of joints, depending
strongly on manufacturer and cable type. For
example, there is evidence that DC MI cable joints
have performed very well, whereas failures have
occurred for AC XLPE cable joints.
9.2 System Operation Risks
A power system with long cables has electrical
characteristics that differ from a system with
overhead lines. For hybrid transmission (overhead
coupled with submarine or underground cable)
to be installed in Manitoba, care must be
taken to determine what impact the electrical
characteristics of cables have on the transmission
system, and to design for these impacts to
control voltage, allow efficient power flow
and operational effectiveness. With the AC
transmission options, the risks are even greater
when the transmission path is integrated into the
grid. Very long high voltage AC cables are now
being considered for more projects worldwide
but their behaviour and impact on the grid, and
as an operating element, are still being studied by
industry organizations such as CIGRE.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 99
100 - Manitoba Hydro
10 Benefits and advantages of underground and submarine
cable installations

Some general benefits of underground and

submarine cable lines are noted as follows.
Submarine and underground cables:

• are better protected from the

immediate effects of storms.

• may have reduced capital costs for

rights-of-way.

• minimize negotiations with

private property owners and other
land entitlements particularly for
submarine applications.

• would not involve cutting of boreal

forest or encroachment on agricultural
land.

• would have minimal impact on

agricultural operations.

• have minimal visual impacts to the

environment.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 101

102 - Manitoba Hydro
11 Findings and Conclusions
1. System studies indicate that with Bipole
III (LCC) in service, the Manitoba Hydro
power system would experience network
frequency stability problems with an
additional LCC HVDC transmission
link. Therefore it is very unlikely that a
fourth HVDC (LCC) bipole would be
implemented in Manitoba [19].
2. The same studies have concluded that
additional north-south 500 kV AC
transmission would be recommended
to integrate the next major northern
generation plant [19].
3. With current cable technology and
unproven cable transportation methods, an
AC submarine cable under Lake Winnipeg
is not a viable option at this time.
4. Assuming in the foreseeable future that
the Manitoba Hydro system develops to
accommodate a fourth Bipole of any mode
(overhead or hybrid), and together with
further research and technological advances,
a DC submarine or underground cable may
be a viable option.
5. Future transmission development
should proceed on the basis of overhead,
underground and submarine in that order
of preference. Studies and circumstances
at the time would determine the actual
choice.
6. Once all overhead and underground
options have been exhausted,
further research on long length
cable transportation by train, related
transportation handling and installation
may be initiated.
7. Based on years of operating experience
with long transmission lines in Manitoba,
an overhead transmission line should have
a higher reliability than a hybrid line.
8. A hybrid 500 kV AC line with several cable
sections and associated multiple transition
and compensation stations would be
difficult to operate.
9. A hybrid 500 kV AC line may degrade
system reliability, as compared to an
overhead line. This potential degraded
level of reliability may impact the
reputation and value of Manitoba Hydro’s
product.
10. An underground AC or DC cable system
failure can be expected approximately
once every 3 to 17 years. A lack of
meaningful industry data for AC and DC
submarine cables prevents determination
of statistical failure rates.
11. The repair time for underground cables
is considerably less than for submarine
cables. A spare cable for submarine and
underground options would minimize
forced outage times.
12. All hybrid options have cost premiums
compared to overhead lines. Any of the
solutions using cables result in incremental
cost increases of about $0.36B and could
be as high as $1.58B, assuming that long
submarine cables could be successfully
transported by train.
A reference of cost premiums for
submarine cabling over an equivalent
length of overhead line is presented in
Section 7, Table 20: Cost Premiums for
Equivalent Line Lengths.
These are represented as ratios:
submarine segment (cost per route km)
overhead segment (cost per route km)
For Route 4 DC the ratio is 6.6, for 5 DC
it is 6.8 and for Route 6 AC it is 11.9. This
means that on an equivalent length basis
the submarine options are 6.6 to 11.9
times costlier than an overhead line.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 103
 These estimates and ratios that express
the premiums include labour and
material only.
13. Routing through Grand Rapids would
require detailed engineering studies.
Underground segments, including a
tunnel, are required to alleviate issues
with congestion and proximity to existing
Bipole lines.
14. With present technology, estimates
indicate that short length submarine
cables shipped on reels would take twice
as long to splice and lay compared to
long train shipping methods. Using reels
for shipping submarine cable would be
more expensive, impractical and is not
recommended.
15. The least costly hybrid DC or AC route
would be approximately 1.5 and 2.8
times more expensive respectively, than
the base case overhead route, assuming
long train shipping is feasible.
16. The base case DC overhead line is the
most economic option, despite being
longer than other DC conceptual routes.
A base case AC overhead line would cost
approximately 27% more than the base
case DC overhead line.
17. Installation time of DC submarine
cable would range between 2 to 3 years,
depending on route alternative and
assuming long train transportation. For
AC submarine cable it would be about 4
years.
18. The complete manufacturing capacity of
two cable suppliers may be required to
meet this schedule for submarine cables.
104 - Manitoba Hydro
19. The world’s ocean going cable laying fleet
does not have access to Lake Winnipeg.
A suitably equipped cable laying barge
would need to be constructed locally and
launched.
20. A dock and cable handling facilities
would need to be constructed on a Lake
Winnipeg harbour.
21. The life expectancy of an overhead line is
approximately 100 years. Life expectancy
for an underground or submarine cable is
approximately 40 to 50 years. Therefore a
complete cable system replacement could
be anticipated about half way through the
life of overhead line sections.
22. VSC HVDC technology, if only
implemented as a future fourth HVDC
Bipole transmission line, would not
improve the vulnerability to common
mode faults. Assuming that there are no
technological developments or system
developments that would remove system
constraints to allow a fourth Bipole
and given the operating complexities
and reliability risks of a hybrid AC
transmission line, an overhead AC line
should be considered first.
23. With a low probability of HVDC being
implemented, and the costs, reliability,
complexity and operating difficulties
associated with hybrid AC lines, the
preferred post-Bipole III option is
therefore overhead 500 kV AC.
12 References
[1] T. Worzyk (2009), “Submarine Power
Cables”, Springer, ISBN 1612-1287; 978-3-
642-01270-9
[2] Teshmont Consultants (October 2006),
“A weather Risk Assessment of the Existing
and Proposed HVDC Transmission Lines”.
[3] “Specification for Impregnated Paper-
Insulated Metallic-Sheathed Cable, Solid
Type”, AEIC Specification CS2, Association
of Edison Illuminating Companies, 11th
edition, 1997.
[4] E. Stern et al. (August 2008), “The
Neptune Regional Transmission System
500 kV HVDC Project”, CIGRE 2008 paper
B4-118, Paris.
[5] A. Nyman et al. (1996), “The Baltic Cable
HVDC Project”, CIGRE 1996 paper 14-
105, Paris.
[6] N. Yonemoto et al. (2003), “Construction
of the World’s First Long Distance 500
kV XLPE Cable Line”, Fujikura Technical
Review.
[7] T. Yamanaka et al. (August 2003),
“Development of DC extruded cables and
factory joints in Japan”, Jicable ‘03 paper
A.7.3., Paris.
[8] G. Evenset et al. (August 2007),
“Qualification, Supply and Installation of
the World’s First 420 kV XLPE Submarine
Cable System in Norway”, Jicable ’07
paper A.9.3., Paris.
[9] Brian J. Todd, C.F. Michael Lewis, L Harvey
Thorleifson (2006), “Geological Survey of
Canada, Open File 3113, Lake Winnipeg
Project Cruise Report and Scientific
Results”.
[10] Portable Dynamic Positioning
Systems (PDPS), Thrustmaster,
Retrieved from http://www.
thrustmastertexas.com/products/
portableDynamicPositioningSystems.html
[11] Capjet trenching system [movie],
Nexans, Retrieved from http://www.
nexans.com/eservice/Corporate-en/
navigateref_224957/Capjet_trenching_
system.html, MDI-Ltd. Norway.
[12] J. Ryan. “Lake bottom line – Hydro
transmission cable under Lake Winnipeg
explained,” Part 1, February 9, 2008;
“From ship to shore – Two-kilometre
train needed to move transmission cable,”
Part 2, February 10, 2008; “Barge at Gimli
would lay cable in lake,” Part 3, February
11, 2008, Winnipeg Free Press.
[13] D. Reske “Manitoba Hydro memo: Initial
Class I Cost Estimates of Underground or
Submarine Cable to Overhead Conductor
Transition Stations for 500kV AC and
DC Transmission Lines Proposed by the
500kV Cable Concepts Panel”, September
13, 2010
[14] Underground Transmission Systems
Reference Book, 2006 Edition, Electric
Power Research Institute Report 1014840,
March 2007.
[15] Electric Cables Handbook, Third Edition,
BICC Cables, edited by G.F. Moore,
Blackwell Science, 1997, ISBN 0-632-
04075-0
[16] CIGRE Working Group B1.10, Update of
Service Experience of HV Underground
and Cable Systems, CIGRE, April 2009.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 105
[17] RAM – Study Phase 2 NorNed Kable
HVDC Project, Statnett Doc. No. N 126
JA2/16, April 15, 1998. (http://www.
energiekamer.nl/images/12_24746_tcm7-
4788.pdf Accessed July 2010)

[18] Manitoba Hydro website: http://www.

hydro.mb.ca

[19] Ultimate HVDC Development in

Manitoba, SPD 2010/14, Transmission
Planning & Design Division, System
Planning Department, Manitoba Hydro.
Ron Mazur/Pei Wang. Issued October 14,
2010.

[20] Lake Winnipeg Shoreline Management

Handbook, March 2001 – Lake Winnipeg
Shoreline Erosion Advisory Group/
Manitoba Water Stewardship.

[21] An Independent Review of Shoreline

Erosion along the Shorelines of the
South Basin of Lake Winnipeg and
Related Issues – Lake Winnipeg Shoreline
Erosion Advisory Group/Manitoba Water
Stewardship.

Additional References listed in Appendix 3

106 - Manitoba Hydro

Appendices

Appendix 1: Concepts Review Panel Terms of Reference

Appendix 2: Panel Members

Appendix 3: Long AC Cable Compensation

Appendix 4: Cable Transportation

Appendix 5: 500kV Global Cable System Applications

Appendix 6: Differences Between AC and DC Cable Technologies

Appendix 7: Grand Rapids Bottleneck

Appendix 8: Cable Laying Schedule

Appendix 9: Pole I and Pole II Reliability, 1993 - 2008

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 107

108 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 1: Terms of Reference
Concepts Review Panel for Potential Future Use of Underground or
Underwater Cables for Long Distance Transmission in Manitoba

Purpose:
The overall purpose of this review panel is to produce a concepts-based report that includes discussion
of the reliability of 500kV high voltages cables and the feasibility of underground and underwater
installation for possible use in a future North-South Transmission line in Manitoba, post-Bipole III.

Items of Concern:

• The Panel shall review the maturity of the state-of-engineering of 500kV cable technologies in
use world-wide today

• The Panel shall research the performance of cables operating at 500kV

• The Panel shall research the causes of failure of 500kV cable systems world-wide

• The Panel shall review the literature on current cable research for 500kV and the effects of very
long cable lengths on the power system

• The Panel shall discuss concepts for transporting very long sections of cable on land and over
landlocked inland waterways

• The Panel shall identify the concept with the highest feasibility for transportation and
installation that may need to be advanced for further research and investigation by world
experts

• The Panel shall address cost implications of any concepts that may have merit

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 109

110 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 2: Panel Members

David A. Farlinger, P.Eng., F.E.I.C. (Panel Chair)

Principal, CMC Consultants Inc.

David Farlinger is a Civil Engineer and a Principal with CMC Consultants Inc. His interests are
divided into two principal areas, energy and water.

With respect to energy, he was involved for a number of years as a pipeline technical advisor for the
Province of Nova Scotia, in the technical review of proposed natural gas systems for the awarding of
franchises in Mexico as well as two World Bank funded electricity regulatory projects, one in Russia
and the other with the Palestinian Energy Authority.

In 2007 he served as Study Manager for the Manitoba Bipole III Study “Review of Environmental
Considerations” which examined the issues related to alternatives routes.

Previously he served as study manager of a Canadian East-West Electrical Transmission Grid Study
conducted for the fourteen Provincial, Territorial and Federal Energy Ministers and took a leading
role in an External Review of Qulliq Energy Corporation, the electricity provider in Nunavut.

Much of Mr. Farlinger’s water related work involves bringing diverse interest groups to a common
understanding. He served as Chair of the Manitoba Water Commission reviewing the actions
taken during the 1997 Flood of the Century, as Chair of the Lake Winnipeg Shoreline Erosion
Advisory Committee and subsequently as Chair of the Lake Manitoba Regulation Review Advisory
Committee. He also served as Technical Advisor to the Clean Environment Commission with
respect to licencing of the construction of the 200 MW Wuskwatim dam and the expanded
Winnipeg Floodway.

Mr. Farlinger has been active in the Consulting Engineering Industry for many years. He was a
founding Director of CEM, the Consulting Engineers of Manitoba and served as President of the
Association of Consulting Engineers of Canada.

For 28 years Mr. Farlinger was a Director of Teshmont Consultants LP, specialists in High Voltage
Transmission Systems, including a number of years as Chairman. He also served two terms as a
member of the National Research Council representing industry with his expertise in energy.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 111

Ed Tymofichuk, P.Eng.
Vice President, Transmission
Manitoba Hydro

Ed Tymofichuk, graduated from the University of Manitoba in Electrical Engineering in 1966. He

has held management positions in Thompson, Brandon and Winnipeg in a variety of operating and
engineering functions.

Most of his career has been in transmission and includes eleven years as Division Manager of
Transmission System Operations which included a time of dynamic industry change involving de-
regulation, market developments, and establishment of enforceable reliability standards.

Mr. Tymofichuk managed and oversaw new interconnection transmission lines to Saskatchewan and
the U.S. including the 500 kV AC line from Winnipeg to Minneapolis (Manitoba portion only), and
many transmission projects in Manitoba.

He has been active in national industry organizations such as Canadian Electricity Association,
Canadian Standards Association, in North American organizations such as the Midwest Reliability
Organization (Chair of Board for 2011), Chair of the North American Electrical Corporation
Members Representatives Committee for 2010, and internationally as past member of the
International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) Standardization Management Committee.

He has consulted on international electricity industry re-structuring in several Balkan countries early
in this decade.

Since March 2009 he has held the position of Vice-President Transmission Business Unit,
comprised of four divisions of approximately 1 400 employees, responsible for the cradle-to-grave
management of transmission assets.

112 - Manitoba Hydro

John Ryan, Ph.D. (Retired Professor of Geography & Senior Scholar University of Winnipeg)

John Ryan, B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed., M.A., Ph.D., is a retired professor of economic geography and
Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipeg where he taught from 1964 to 1996. He specialized
in courses on energy, resources, economic development, and the economic geography of Canada,
the USSR, and Monsoon Asia. His research and travels have taken him to more than 50 countries.
His numerous publications include a pioneer work on the agricultural economy of Manitoba
Hutterite Colonies and a best-selling art and biography book. Since retirement he has continued to
publish in journals and on the Internet on a wide range of subjects, including articles on Canada-
US trade relations, Afghanistan, Iraq, Israel-Palestine, US foreign policy, and Canadian political
affairs. His latest efforts have involved a steep learning curve in engineering and he has acquired
expertise on the nature of HVDC submarine cable, its transport by rail and its possible use in Lake
Winnipeg.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 113

Allen MacPhail, P.Eng.
Cabletricity Connections Ltd.

Allen MacPhail has a Bachelor of Applied Science degree (Electrical Engineering) from the
University of British Columbia and is a registered professional engineer in BC and Alberta. He
began his career at British Columbia Hydro as a Distribution Engineer, with an early interest
in underground systems for high load density urban areas. Later he transferred to BC Hydro’s
Transmission Engineering Department, specializing in design, installation and maintenance
of many underground and submarine cable systems, from 69 to 525 kV. He was also an
engineering leader for many external submarine cable projects through BC Hydro’s consulting
subsidiary BC Hydro International, taking him to assignments in Egypt, Jordan, Northern
Ireland, Belize, Alaska and Washington.

In 2006 Allen retired from BC Hydro and began Cabletricity Connections Ltd., to further his
interests in high voltage power cable applications. He is active with a variety of domestic
and international power cable engineering activities and has affiliations with several other
consulting companies specializing in power cables and HVDC systems. Presently he
participates in the IEEE Insulated Conductors Committee as well as CIGRE B1 Working
Groups.

114 - Manitoba Hydro

Paul Wilson, P. Eng.
Managing Director, Subsidiary Operations
Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Paul Wilson is currently the Managing Director of Manitoba Hydro Subsidiary Operations,
Manitoba Hydro International Ltd. and the past Managing Director of Manitoba HVDC
Research Centre. The Manitoba HVDC Research Centre is the the engineering arm of MHI
and developer of the advanced Power System Simulator PSCAD®/EMTDC™ used by utilities,
manufacturers, consultants, research centers and universities worldwide to solve technical
problems.

Paul has worked his entire career in the utility industry with Manitoba Hydro and has enjoyed
the challenges associated with Software Development, Distribution Engineering Protection,
System Protection Maintenance and commissioning, and the Y2K project. The Engineering
group of the HVDC Research Centre is very active in power system studies for grid integration
of renewables, HVDC engineering, operational planning studies and electro-magnetics
transient analysis.

A graduate from the University of Manitoba in 1987, in Electrical Engineering, he is an

active member of the IEEE (M 2000) and CIGRE, and a licensed practicing member of the
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Provinces of Manitoba and
Saskatchewan. Paul is President of the Energy Service Alliance of Manitoba, an association of
energy service consultants active in both domestic and international services work.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 115

116 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 3: Long AC Cable Compensation
Thermal Properties and Ampacity of Cables
Cable ampacity must be carefully calculated
so that conductor temperature does not rise
above a certain level where cable damage would
occur reducing the life expectancy of the cable
or destroying the insulation integrity. AC XLPE
cables have a design limit of 90 ºC, and are
specified to operate at some acceptable level
below limit. The ampacity of a cable depends on
many factors including the environment in which
it is installed (i.e. water, land with thermal soil,
or air), the conductor spacing, cross-bonding
configurations and cable configuration or
geometry after installation.
The ABB cable users guide list several ampacities
for the 1600 mm2 500 kV AC XLPE cable for 65
o
C and 90 oC, in flat or trefoil configuration, or
cross bonded configuration.
Trefoil and flat formation
The three cables in a 3-phase circuit can be placed
in different configurations. Typical configurations
include trefoil (triangular) and flat formations. The
choice depends on several factors such as screen
bonding method, conductor area and available
space for installation. Trefoil configurations have
the advantage of having balanced voltages and
currents in phases compared to flat configuration
Bonding of the metallic screens
The electric power losses in a cable circuit are
dependent on the currents flowing in the metallic
sheaths of the cables. Therefore, by reducing or
eliminating the metallic sheath currents through
different methods of bonding, it is possible
to increase the load current carrying capacity
(ampacity) of the cable circuit. The usual bonding
methods are bonding at ends, single point
bonding, or cross-bonding.
For long land cables that can be exposed to high
through fault currents, cross bonding or single
point bonding are the best choices as they provide
both voltage mitigation during faults and reduce
circulating currents in the sheaths which would
reduce the available ampacity. A cable system
is cross-bonded if the arrangements are such
that the circuit provides electrically continuous
sheath runs from earthed termination to earthed
termination but with the sheaths so sectionalized
and cross-connected in order to eliminate the
sheath circulating currents. In such case, a voltage
will be induced in between screen and earth, but
no significant current will flow. The maximum
induced voltage will appear at the link boxes
for cross-bonding. This method permits a cable
current-carrying capacity as high as with single-
point bonding but longer route lengths than the
latter. It requires screen separation and additional
link boxes. This solution is widely used on
underground land cables and the cross bonding
is accomplished in a link box specially designed
for this purpose which contains the connecting
bars and surge voltage limiters. However,
cross-bonding is impractical for underground
applications when a spare cable is used, due to
difficulties with switching the spare cable and
making the cross-bonds at the junction box
terminations. Therefore, for this application the
single point bonding method is recommended.
At least one ground conductor would be provided
between cable terminals to provide a return path
for fault current.
For submarine cables, no cross bonding
arrangement exists today. This would be a new
technology that would need to be developed.
Submarine cables can be either single core or
three core designs. Three core submarine cable
systems usually have lower AC losses, mainly
due to lower mutual reactance between phases
and less eddy and hysteresis heating in armour. 
But the cores’ closer proximity results in mutual
heating effects, which reduces ampacity. Long
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 117
single core submarine cables almost always have
their sheaths and armour systems solidly bonded
at both ends, otherwise if they were open at
one end, the voltages induced in them would
exceed withstand levels of insulating components
(jackets). The same is true for 3-core submarine
cable designs. The end result is that there are
circulating currents in the sheath and armour
which cause additional heating lowering the
ampacity. As cross-bonding of sheaths/armour
wires is impractical for submarine cables, other
measures must be taken to reduce the effects of
high AC losses for solidly bonded systems.  One
is to use copper armour wires, thereby reducing
eddy current and hysteresis losses compared to
steel (magnetic) armour. Another is to retain
steel armour wires but introduce a large copper
concentric return conductor under the armour,
thereby substantially cancelling the magnetic
field experienced by the armour. Semi-conducting
jacket materials are commonly used over the
sheath to control induced voltage for both 1-core
and 3-core designs.
Transmission Route Assumptions
Manitoba Hydro contemplates that the next
transmission corridor will be HVAC in order to
provide grid strength to alleviate the weak short
circuit ratio for HVDC operations on the existing
two Bipoles and planned new Bipole III [19]. The
next corridor may come down, or partially down
Lake Winnipeg and this report has identified
a number of possible routes which are used as
concepts herein.
Electrical Assumptions
• Power level: 1000 MW
• Voltage level: 500 kV AC
• One AC cable per phase plus one spare
cable
• Reactive compensation stations on shore.
118 - Manitoba Hydro
Cable Sizes - AC Submarine Cable
For AC submarine cables, the panel has assumed
the conductor size would be 1600 mm2 copper,
on the following basis.
For 1000 MW/circuit, required deliverable real
current per cable would be:
Ampacity = 1000 MW / (√ 3 * 500 kV)
Ampacity = 1155 Amps.
Charging current would be approximately 23
A/km and it's assumed that it would flow equally
into each cable end. This is a realistic assumption
considering the rated voltage would be connected
at both ends of the cable under normal
circumstances.
Ampacity (70km) = sqrt (11552 +
(70*23/2)2) = 1408A
Required ampacity for a 70 km distance between
reactors would be a vector summation of the
power and capacitive current. This current could
be carried by a 1600 mm2 copper conductor
submarine cable, if it had copper armour wires,
which would be rated at about 1500A. With
100% compensation for a 70 km section, reactor
capacity should be approximately Reactor Size
(MVAr) = √ 3 * 500 kV * (70 km*23 A/km) /2 =
700 MVArs This value requires further study as it
ignores any shunt reactance from the overhead
transmission lines which form part of this circuit.
Therefore, there would be some capacity margin,
for example if a reactor is out of service, or if one
of the parallel circuits is out of service, ignoring
possible voltage regulation problems. That
means it might be possible to use 500 MVAr
reactors on the 70 km segment.
Cable Sizes – AC Underground
For AC underground cables, the Panel has
assumed the conductor size would be about 1400
mm2. The required capacity for a 50 km cable,
the estimated distance between reactors would be:
Ampacity (50km) = √ (11552 +
(50*23/2)) = 1290A
This could be carried by a 1400 mm2 copper
conductor direct buried underground cable which
would be rated at about 1300A.
Compensation of Long AC cables
As described in the body of the report, long
AC cables require compensation in the form of
reactors to eliminate or reduce the capacitive
effect of the cable. Cable compensation is
necessary to minimize losses in transmitting
power across a cable, and to control the voltage
which would otherwise exceed equipment ratings.
There is a critical cable length (MCLTL) that when
reached the cable’s full ampacity at the sending
end is consumed by the capacitive current; thus
no active power transport is possible. One must
either install a larger cable with higher ampacity
must be installed, or the capacitive current would
have to be reduced by installing compensation
devices at the ends of the cables, and if required
along the cable route.
The theoretical maximum operable length of the
line at thermal limit (MCLTL) without reactive
power compensation based on the formulations
by Colla et al. [22],
Table A3-1: Maximum theoretical cable length at power
Active Power transferred 0 1000
(MW)
MCLTL (km) 102 92
Thus the longest cable section possible without
compensation is 92 km at 500 kV, 1000 MW
making certain assumptions about cable size.
However, losses and voltage regulation would be
poor so compensation is still required.
Figure A3-1: Compensation diagram
The diagram in Figure A3-1 depicts the concept
of compensation [22]. In order to move power
Ps through the cable to result as Pr power at the
receiving end, compensation Qs at the sending
end and Qr at the receiving end is required to
release the losses generated by the capacitance
of the cable. If these losses are not released, the
entire cable current carrying capacity is consumed
by losses and there would be no room left for
actual power transmission.
During normal operation of an electrical power
system, the transmission voltages are normally
maintained within a small range, typically, from
0.95 to 1.05 pu of rated value [23]. Due to the
load variations, shunt reactors and capacitors have
been applied in power systems to compensate
excess reactive power (inductive for heavy
1500 2000
78 49
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 119
load conditions, and capacitive for light load
conditions). Shunt reactors are commonly used
to compensate the capacitive reactive power
of transmission and distribution systems and
thereby to keep the operating voltages within
admissible levels.

For no load operation with 100% compensation,

the cable system will require a much greater
amount of compensation to maintain no load
voltage. When power is transmitted, some of
the compensation must be switched off as less
compensation is required when transmitting at
the design level.

Figure A3-2: Arrangement of shunt reactors on a long distance high voltage AC transmission line

Compared with overhead lines, inderground/
underwater cables are characterized as having
low surge impedance (Z0, 40 to 60 Ohms)
and relatively limited implicitly (Iz). The main
problem of underground/underwater cables is
that the cable generates far more reactive power
than it absorbs. I.e. ampacity of the cable is
lower significantly (several times) than Surge
Impedance Loading (SIL = V2 /Z0) of the cable.
Under these circumstances, the current
transmitted through the cable is limited to the
large charging current (capacitive) of the cable.
When the cable is fully loaded, the reactive
power absorbed by the series reactance is only
about 10% of the reactive power produced by
the cable capacitance. The local shunt reactors
(inductances) are installed to compensate for this
capacitive charging current.
Operation of EHV long AC cables requires a
high degree of inductive shunt compensation.
The sudden voltage change due to routine
manoeuvres (e.g. no-load energization or
disconnection for weak system) and rated cable-
charging breaking current of line circuit breakers
(for strong systems) dictates a high minimum
compensation degree (usually over 95%).
For a 530 km overhead line section
• 1.3 MVA charging per kilometre, total 728
MVA reactive compensation.
• Surge impedance: 235 ohms
Ferranti effect is a rise of voltage at the open
receiving end of a transmission line. On a 300 km
line the voltage rise is only 8.8% which is not

120 - Manitoba Hydro

enough to cause operational concerns provided
limits are not exceed. However, voltage rise on an
unloaded line of 640 km would be 1.579 pu which
is unacceptable for the insulation systems and
exceeds normal design limits. For a 1250 km line
(a quarter wavelength) the voltage rise would be
infinite without some means of compensation [24].

Voltage distribution along the cable without

shunt compensation is shown in Figure A3-3
assuming that voltages at either-end of the line
are maintained at nominal voltage. The maximum
voltage is 1.2 pu. This will be significantly
reduced if shunt compensation is used.

Figure A3-3: Voltage profile along a transmission line/cable with ends at 1 per unit voltage

1.25

1.2
Voltage [p.u.]

1.15

1.1

1.05

1
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Length (km)

It is desirable to limit open-circuit voltage rise to
about 25% at the sending end, and about 40% at
the receiving end under worst conditions – that
is with all parallel lines connected, minimum
generators connected, and before the excitation
systems on the generators can be reduced to a safe
level [24].Shunt compensation, especially shunt
reactive compensation has been widely used
in transmission system to regulate the voltage
magnitude, improve the voltage quality, and
enhance the system stability by employing active
variable compensation [25]. Shunt-connected
reactors are used to reduce the line over-voltages
by consuming the reactive power, while shunt-
connected capacitors are used to maintain the
voltage levels by compensating the reactive power
to transmission line.
There are many types of shunt compensation
systems which provide varying degrees of control.
Fixed and switch compensation shunt reactors
offer a coarse level control, where thyristor switch
reactors/capacitors (TCR/SVC) and STATCOM
devices provide excellent compensation control.
TCR/SVC and STATCOM are much more
expensive and are typically employed to improve
voltage and transient stability of the power
system.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 121

 Table A3-2: Reactive compensation for various power levels

Overhead line Underground cable Overhead line

( Double Circuit ) ( Double Circuit ) ( Double Circuit )
(100 km) (280 km) (530 km)

Inductance, L (mH/km) 0.4408 0.2705 0.4408

Capacitance, C (μF/km) 0.02587 0.46 0.02587

Maximum Power transfer capability (MW) at 15,084 5,580 3,065

1.0 pu voltage (both-ends)

Reactive power required for 1000 MW 88 3,351 504

For the proposed cable route, the above table Using the formulations by T.J.E. Miller [24], it is
indicates that 3351 MVAr of compensation would possible to calculate the required shunt reactor
be required for each circuit in order to transmit sizes along each cable (pages 97-101) to control
1000 MW of power across the cable interface. the open-circuit voltage during energization.
Calculations indicate that the minimum reactor
size is 161.5 MVAr per phase at each terminal
Transmission Line and cable electrical point per cable along the line. Note: when two
analysis cable segments join the reactors are doubled to
2 times 161.5 MVAr. Five line segments were
The Concepts Review Panel studied options of selected (48 km each) for the total 240 km cable
underground cables for the next north-south run. Using PI section models in a simulation
transmission corridor. The corridor will bring with capacitance of 0.22 uF / km, confirms the
1000 MW of power to the Winnipeg area and reactor size is 500 MVAr (3 phase) for each PI
destinations south for export from new generation section end.
built in the north (the amount of this generation
is unspecified at this time). This analysis does not take into account any
parallel path or resonance analysis.
A number of assumptions were made so that
some simple engineering calculations could be
performed to determine typical reactive power
requirements for an AC cable option.

Figure A3-4: Three phase 500kV cable compensation stations per circuit

Total circuit length - 240 km

Reactive Compensation Required: 5000 MVar
P = 0.4133 P = 0.4133
Q = 11.6 Q = 11.6
Ph: 0.0 deg

Ph: 0.0 deg

Source1

Source2

V = 500.2 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 V = 500.2

A PI PI PI PI PI A
V V

Cable Section Cable Section Cable Section Cable Section Cable Section
48 m 48 m 48 m 48 m 48 m

500 1000 1000 1000 1000 500

122 - Manitoba Hydro

When a load is suddenly dropped, or a circuit
breaker is opened unloading a long cable, an
overvoltage can appear due to the resonance
between inductances of the power system
(generators and transformers) and capacitance in
the cable system. Previous work by Dr. Ametani
has investigated the overvoltages that occur
immediately after a fault and load rejection
[26]. The maximum transient and temporary
over voltage was 2.2 pu due to the switching
transient and 2.0 pu due to the load rejection.
The former occurs due to the resonance between
the inductance and capacitance of the system. The
later occurs due to the load rejection only when
load is suddenly dropped off a loaded generator.
An overvoltage appears on the cable in the
following manner:
Switching Transients and Transient Recovery
Voltage
Switching transients result from the energy
exchange between capacitors and inductors
and are initiated by the operation of breakers
and switches in a power system. The switching
operation itself represents three main categories:
• Energization of transmission lines, cables,
and transformers (connection)
• De-energization of transmission lines and
cables (disconnection)
• Re-closure after clearing a fault
• Switching (connection/disconnection) of
capacitors or reactors

1. The generator terminal voltage increases The energization phenomena includes charging
to the inductive electromotive force. of system elements like transmission lines or
cables, transformers, reactors, capacitor banks, etc.
2. The generator speed increases. with no trapped charge. However, in the case of
re-closure, the transmission line may have been
3. When the transformer inductance and left with a trapped charge after the initial breaker
capacitance of the cable are in a resonant opening and this affect is more pronounced on
condition, a resonant overvoltage will a cable. In such a case the transient overvoltages
appear. can reach very high values up to 4.0 pu [26]. De-
energization includes transient phenomena as a
The temporary overvoltage will sustain longer result of fault clearing and load rejection.
until voltage control equipment reacts
to lower the exciter voltage rectifying
the situation. Transmission line reflections
Vabs Vbcs Vcas
400
300
200
Sending (kV)

100
0
-100
-200
-300
-400
Vabr Vcar Vbcr
600
400
Receiving (kV)

200
0
-200
-400
-600

A52a
A52b
Figure A3-5: Transient Switching A52c

Overvoltages Time 0.7250 0.7300 0.7350 0.7400 0.7450 0.7500 0.7550 ...
...
...

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 123

The previous graphic depicts a typical switching
transient that occurs on a transmission line due
to energization of a capacitor bank.
Transient Recovery Voltage is the voltage
that appears across the breakers terminals
immediately after opening. The stray capacitance
and inductance of the bus work and connected
equipment govern the response of the system
on the breaker terminals. Typically, inductors
coupled with the stray bus capacitance create
very fast transients that may exceed the transient
recovery envelope of the circuit breaker. The Rate
of Recovery Voltage rise is very fast and is a design
factor in the selection of circuit breakers. Cables
have high capacitance so by themselves are not
expected to be problematic with circuit breakers,
other than that the breaker must be rated to
switch capacitive current. However, switching
line reactors used to compensate cables are
inductive and may produce very high transient
recovery voltages.
FigureA3-6: Transient Recovery Voltage (TRV)
40
emax TRVa
30
20
10
0 unpredictable response.
kV
-10
-20
-30
-40
x 0.2750 0.2760 0.2770 0.2780
Zero-miss phenomena
Zero-missing can happen for a cable when shunt
compensation exceeds 50% and is characterized
by having a current that does not cross zero over
several cycles. In the case of a fault in the cable,
and re-energization, it may not be possible to
open the circuit breaker without risk of damage.
124 - Manitoba Hydro
Pre-insertion resistors can be employed as a
mitigation strategy this phenomenon.
Because of the large capacitive reactive power of
HVAC cables, shunt reactors are needed for power
compensation. For unloaded cable systems,
the shunt reactor current is almost in phase
opposition to the current in the cable, reducing
the amplitude of the resultant AC component
through the circuit breaker. As the current in the
shunt reactor has a transient DC component, the
resulting current in the circuit breaker may have
a DC component larger than its AC component.
When this happens, the current passing through
the circuit breaker does not cross zero until the
DC component becomes smaller than the AC
component [27].
Ferroresonance
Ferroresonance occurs due to interaction between
capacitors and saturable iron-core conductors,
thus this phenomenon can occur in systems
with long cables connected to transformers and
reactors. Ferro-resonance
TRVEnvA : Graphs
TRVb TRVc is similar to series
resonance except that
a non-linear inductor,
the transformer, can
produce a chaotic and
Ferroresonance is
characterized by large
phase voltages and
currents that may exceed
0.2790 0.2800 0.2810 0.2820 0.2830 0.2840 ... system ratings damaging
...
... equipment.
The following figure shows some Ferro-resonant
responses on the primary side of a transformer
initiated due to a breaker phase open failure.
FigureA3-7: Ferro-resonance can generate over voltages that
exceed equipment ratings
Main : Graphs
E1
800
600
400
200
0 of underground or
y
-200
-400
-600
-800
0.460 0.480 0.500 0.520 0.540 0.560
Series Resonance
The inductance of a transformer may create
a series resonance circuit together with the
capacitance of a cable. This situation is
characterized by low impedance for harmonic
currents at the resonance frequency that
may result in high current distortions and
overvoltages. Series resonance is important to
consider since long cables have a large shunt
capacitance producing a lower resonance
frequency.
Parallel Resonance
On a system with long HVAC cables, the
inductance of the shunt reactors and the cable
capacitance form a parallel resonance circuit.
Parallel resonance is characterized by a large
impedance for the resonance frequencies, leading
to overvoltages when in presence of currents with
a frequency equal to the resonance frequency.
During a transformer energization an inrush
current containing all the harmonic components
may be generated. If one or more of these
harmonic frequencies are near a system
resonance point, transient overvoltages may be
produced. Since the resonance circuit impedance
is very high, the current only flows to the
resonance circuit if it has nowhere else to go,
leading to overvoltages.
Fault Levels
Cables typically have a lower overall reactive
component providing
increases to the fault level
current contributions
through the cable circuits.
A high penetration
submarine cable in
an electrical network
(for example, if a large
percentage of overhead
...
0.580 0.600 0.620 0.640 0.660
... lines were replaced with
...
similar-sized cables), the
fault levels would generally increase providing
an extra burden on the switching elements and
protection systems.
Generator self-excitation
Cable energizing can cause terminal voltages at
the generators to increase, with a potential threat
to the safety of equipment. Prior to energizing
the cable from a generator bus, the open circuit
voltage of the generator terminal to the nominal
voltage rating. The exciter supplied field voltage is
adjusted to the required value to maintain these
conditions. When the breaker is closed energizing
the cable, the cable capacitance will feed reactive
power into the machine. This may result in
a sudden increase of the machine terminal
voltage. The excitation system will respond to the
increased terminal voltage by reducing the field
voltage to bring back the terminal voltage to its
set point.
The overvoltage duration and magnitude is
determined by the cable capacitance (length) and
the response and characteristics of the machine
excitation system. Unless properly designed, the
over voltage may violate the temporary (power
frequency) over voltage capability of surge
arresters and other equipment. In the extreme
case, when the cable capacitance is excessive, the
exciter can reach its minimum excitation limits,
thus failing to control the terminal voltage.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 125
References
[22] “Steady-state operation of very long EHV
AC cable lines”,Colla, L.; Gatta, F.M.;
Geri, A.; Lauria, S.; Maccioni, M.,
PowerTech, 2009 IEEE Bucharest,
Volume , Issue , June 28 2009-July 2 2009
Page(s):1 – 8.

[23] Areva Tech News, Shunt Reactors in

Power Systems, Areva T&D,
Products-L4PS-Shunt reactor-71695-V1-
EN- © - AREVA – 2007.
http://www.arevausitr.com/pdf/TECH%20
NEWS_SHUNT_71665.PDF

[24] T.J.E. Miller, “Reactive Power Control in

Electric Systems”. 1982 Wiley
Interscience ISBN 0-471-86933-3

[25] “Shunt compensation of EHV Cables and

Mixed Overhead cable lines”, Stefano
Lauria, IEEE, Fabio M. Gatta and Luigi
Colla,

[26] Takashi, K., Takeshi G., Ametani, A,

“An Abnormal Overvoltage due to
Load Rejection on EHV Underground
Transmission Line”, IPST 1995, Lisbon.

[27]
F. Faria da Silva, C. L. Bak, U. S.
Gudmundsdottir, W. Wiechowski and
M. R.Knardrupgård, “Methods to
Minimize Zero-Missing Phenomenon”,
IEEE PES
Transactions on Power Delivery,
TPWRD-00683-2009.

126 - Manitoba Hydro

Appendix 4: Cable Transportation
Proposal 1
Transporting long sections of submarine cable by train
by John Ryan, Consultant
Figure A4-1: Four layer vertical loop proposal for cables on flat cars
The purpose of this paper is to present a concept
on how to transport submarine cable from a
sea port to Lake Winnipeg where it would be
part of a 500 kV transmission line from the
power stations in the north of Manitoba to the
Winnipeg area.  • A single layer of steel armour wires
It is proposed that long sections of 500 MW 500
kV DC submarine cable, with mass impregnated
(MI) insulation, be transported by train.
Although not discussed specifically, this concept
and the same procedure applies equally well to
cable with greater weight and larger diameters,
such as 500 kV AC or DC XLPE cable.
The dimensions of DC cables would be
approximately:
• Diameter 130 mm (5 in)
• Weight 45 kg/m (30 lb/ft)
• Bending diameter 3 m (9 ft 10 in)
The dimensions of AC cables would be
approximately:
• Diameter 145 mm (5.7 in)
• Weight 50 kg/m (35 lb/ft)
• Bending diameter 4.4 m (14.3 ft)
• One or two layers of copper armour wires
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 127
The restrictions on the railway from Montreal to
Powerview-Pine Falls:
• Total height above the rails As described below, on a 29-flatcar train,
<6.1 m (20 ft)
• Conventional flatcar height above rails transport 50 km of cable – 27 flatcars would
1.2 m (4 ft)
The total height of the looped cable plus the
rail car must be less than the height restriction.
There is also the possibility to employ special low
height flatcars at both ends of the train to increase
the loop diameter above the minimum.
As shown on the accompanying map, in this
concept the plan is to lay cables in two sections
of Lake Winnipeg – a 230 km line and a 50 km
line. The 1000 MW DC transmission line would
require two 500 MW cables and one spare cable,
so the total length of cable would be 840 km. For
these two sections 15 lengths of 46 km cable and
three lengths of 50 km cable would be required.
In the longer section there would be four joints in
each line of cable or a total of 12 joints in the five
cables.
There are several overseas cable suppliers and the
cable could be brought to a port on either the east
or west coast. By way of example, in this concept
the cable would be transported by ship to the
port of Montreal, where it would be loaded on a
train and then hauled 2500 km to be unloaded
at Powerview-Pine Falls, a small Manitoba town
where the track is 300 m from a deep bay on the
Winnipeg River that flows into Lake Winnipeg.
Montreal was chosen as an example because of
its long harbour and because it can accommodate
larger shipments of cables. The alternative
eastern port of Thunder Bay would be limited
by dimensions of the St. Lawrence Seaway and
Welland Canal (each with vessel limits of: length,
222.5 m; breadth, 23.8 m; draught, 8 m; height
above water level, 35.5 m).
128 - Manitoba Hydro
Procedure for loading cable on a train
measuring 584 m, it should be possible to
be required for a 46 km length of cable. The
procedure to load or unload the cable would
require a track at the port or a dock to be twice
the length of the train, or 1.2 km in this instance.
Although the track at Montreal is exceptionally
long, the track at Powerview-Pine Falls allows for
this, but limits a train to a maximum length of
600 m, plus additional space for locomotives.
To avoid expensive port costs of about $200,000
per day for a cable ship, it would be advisable to
make arrangements with the harbour authorities
to install a turntable in a suitable location on
or near the dock and adjacent to a railway track.
The ship carrying the cable could then transfer
the cable, without delay, to this turntable. Space
on a deep water dock would come at a premium,
and the dock may not be able to accommodate a
turntable of about 20 m in diameter. Therefore,
using a roller system it would be possible to
move the cables to a turntable some distance
from the dock, where space may be more readily
available, but nevertheless near a railway track.
The turntable would have to be positioned at the
midpoint of the required 1.2 km of track.  From
the turntable the end of the cable would be lifted
to the top of a 10-m high gantry/conveyor system,
propelled by a “caterpillar” (a special traction
machine for this purpose). The gantry would
overhang the railway track and from there the
cable would be lowered onto the floor of the first
flatcar. The train would then advance along the
track and the cable would continue to be released
and laid on all following cars until the end of the
train. The pick-up speed from the turntable and
the movement of the flatcars would have to be
synchronized.
When the cable reaches the end of the last car,
a steel rim, with its axis perpendicular to the
tracks, would be fitted on the cable and pressed
up to the vertical length of cable extending from
the top of the gantry. This would be a specially
designed concave steel rim, approximately 3 m in
diameter and slightly larger than the 130 mm (5
in) diameter of the cable. At this point the train
would back up, with the result that the cable
would be draped over the rim and then descend
to the floor to form the second row and continue
to be laid on the flatcars as they proceed down
the track.
On reaching the end car, the cable would once
again be fitted with a steel rim, and with the same
procedure as described above, it would double
back to form the third row.  In this manner, with
the train going back and forth, the entire 46 or
50 km of cable could be loaded in about a week.
This is a complex procedure, still to be more fully
explained, but even at this stage, reference to the
attached diagrams may be helpful.
A second section of cable could be hauled by
loading another set of cars with either 46 or 50
km cable. In this case the total train would consist
of either 54 or 58 cars and would transport either
92 or 100 km of cable, as required. It might be
more economical to haul the two sets of cars in
one trip, but, if desired, the two sets could be
transported separately, as soon as each would be
loaded.
Although it could be possible to have locomotives
move the train of flatcars back and forth, a
different means of doing this might be preferable.
As an alternative, the flatcars could be moved by
powerful winches attached to the front and rear
of the line of flatcars. Moving the row of cars by
winches could be done more smoothly and more
reliably, especially with respect to the speed at
which the cars would be moved. As previously
stated, it is important that the speed of the
moving flatcars be synchronized with the speed at
which the cable is removed from the turntable.
To transport the cable, as already noted, would
require either 27 or 29 flatcars. The first and
last cars must be 28.6 m in length (93 ft 10
in, including the space between cars) and the
intervening 25 or 27 cars would be 19.5 m in
length (64 ft). For further clarity, the deck of these
shorter cars measures 18.6 m (61 ft), but with
the 3 foot 2½ inch space between cars for the
coupling mechanism, the effective length for our
purposes is 19.5 m (64 ft). The space between the
cars would be covered by a steel plate that could
swivel as the train goes around curves.
On the trains carrying either 46 or 50 km of cable
there would be four 22-row layers. To prevent the
layers from rubbing against each other during
transit, it would be advisable to have some type
of separation barrier between each of the layers.
Sheets of plywood might serve this purpose.
The short flatcars would require a row of steel
supports along the sides, approximately 0.6 m
(2 ft) in height. Sheets of plywood at this height
placed along the supports would prevent damage
to the cable.  However, the long first and last cars
would require approximately 3-m (10-ft) high
steel supports that would form a rigid frame along
the sides and at the end. It is on these end cars
that 3-m high loops would be formed as the cable
is laid over the rims on the cars.
As already explained, to provide support for these
loops a 3-m diameter steel rim would be inserted
into each loop. Each 22-row layer would create 11
sets of vertical loops – on each of the end cars –
so four layers would form a series of four sets of
loops, with a space of about 4.5 m between each
of them. A 28.6-m (94-ft) car could accommodate
this series of loops, and it is for this reason that
these longer cars would be required. The attached
diagrams illustrate this explanation.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 129
Figure A4-2: End of train and loop assembly for cable supports
The steel rims that support the loops would have
to be firmly fastened to each other and to the 3-m
high steel frame surrounding the end and the two
sides of the long cars. This could be done by a
series of narrow metal plates or anchors bolted to
the rims. These would keep the rims at the correct
distance apart and firmly in place. To be more
specific, at the time the rims are manufactured,
four strong bolts should be put through the rims
and welded in place – equidistant from each
other and at the midpoint of the interior concave
surface. The heads of the bolts should have a
welded steel patch over them to prevent possible
abrasion to the cable. When the rims are fitted
over the cable they should be so positioned that
two bolts would be vertically aligned – one at
the top and one at the bottom – and two would
be on the sides, opposite each other. Once in
position, steel anchors would be fitted over
the bolts from the previously installed rim and
attached to the bolts on the rim being installed –
keeping the rims about 130 mm (5 in) apart. In
this manner the 11 rims would be firmly fastened
together and they would also be fastened to the
steel support structure on the sides of the flatcar.
130 - Manitoba Hydro
Once the first layer of cable is laid, a steel
platform, about a metre wide and positioned
about 4.5 m from the first row of rims, must be
attached to the sides of the flatcar, high enough
to clear the height of the layer of cables (probably
150 mm or 6 in). The second row of loops
(with the rims inside them) would be placed on
this platform, where the rims would be firmly
attached to each other and to the platform and
the side supports. The same type of platform
would have to be installed for the third and
fourth rows of loops containing the rims, at
heights that would clear the underlying layers of
cable.
It should be pointed out that if the cable is left
unsupported from the top of the rim to the
floor of the car it would sag in a catenary shape.
Vibration of the suspended cable could cause
concentrated sheath fatigue, resulting in loss of
cable life and early failure. To prevent this from
occurring, immediately after the rim is installed
and the loop is formed, a specially fashioned
support would be inserted in the void between
the edge of the rim and the curved slope of the
cable. The support would act as a wedge to
prevent the tendency of the cable to sag and
vibrate during train movement. This would have
to be done for each cable within the four series
of loops and rims as soon as the cable is laid – at
both ends of the train. The attached diagrams
illustrate this feature.
Although the short flatcars are 3.05 m (10 ft)
wide and could actually accommodate 24 rows
of 130 mm (5-in) cable, only 22 rows would
be installed. This is to allow a small amount of
space between the cables and thereby each line of
cable would contain a series of small sinusoids or
wiggles along the course of its length. This would
enable each line of cable to have the necessary
flexibility that would be required when the train
navigates curves. It should be noted that the long
end cars are only 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) wide, but they
could still accommodate 22 rows of cable, with a
bit of space between them.
In transporting cable of either 46 or 50 km
lengths, each of the long end cars (with the
loops of cable) would carry 1.8 km of cable or
approximately 81 metric tonnes. The intervening
short cars would carry 1.7 km of cable or about
76.5 tonnes. Central Manitoba Railway, that
operates the line from Winnipeg to Powerview-
Pine Falls, has advised that a train with this
weight per car would be within their allowed
weight limits.
Testing would have to be conducted to see if this
procedure for loading the cable on a train would
work in practice, and to determine if damage
could occur to the cable in transit. Also, some
form of testing would have to be conducted to
determine if the wiggle in each line of cable as it
stretches across the entire length of the flatcars
would provide sufficient flexibility for the train
to navigate curves. If there should be a question
about this, each line of cable could perhaps be
lifted about 0.5 m into an upward curve at the
junction between cars to provide additional
flexibility. Some testing could be done by
computer modelling or by small-scale working
models to prove procedural concepts. For added
certainty it may very well require an actual train
and reasonable lengths of cable for appropriate
tests. Testing might reveal that some different
approaches may be necessary.
There is a possibility that a problem may exist
with the matter of sheath material fatigue within
the cable when the rail cars move through bends
in the railway and because of the vibration of
the cars during transit. However, by using the
appropriate sheath alloy and design, this problem
on other types of cable has been successfully
circumvented, as per the experience of Canada
Wire and Cable, shipping cables with F3 alloy
from Toronto to Vancouver for decades. This
alloy is available as well as designs where weaker
alloys are reinforced. Such designs have been
successfully employed on ship transport from
Scandinavia as far as Alaska and New Zealand.
Unloading the cable from the train
As previously stated, near Lake Winnipeg, at the
town of Powerview-Pine Falls, the railway track
is about 300 m from a deep sheltered bay in the
Winnipeg River. A dock would have to be built
at this location, and a narrow conveyer system of
rollers (stretched out along a mainly downhill
slope) would be needed to convey the cable from
the train to the dock and onto a turntable on
the barge. Near the railway track, a gantry system
would have to be built to unload and convey the
cable from the train onto the downhill conveyer.
The gantry system would require caterpillars
on it to pick up the cable and to control the
progression of the cable down the slope. 
For the sake of precaution, it would be advisable
to have at least two cable storage turntables
positioned probably near the gantry. Normally
the cable would be unloaded from the train and
transferred directly to a turntable on the barge,
but conditions may arise when this might not
be possible. For instance, in the event of bad
weather the laying of cable in the lake could be
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 131
delayed, and without an accumulator/buffer
system of extra turntables, this could paralyze the
chain of cable delivery, i.e., ship-train-barge, and
lead to very high delay costs. In any event, extra
turntables could result in better coordination
with ocean shipping, train loading/unloading and
cable laying.

The cable would be unloaded in a reverse

process to the one used to load it. To begin the
unloading process, the end of the cable would be
diverted from the train onto an overhead gantry
and directed along the roller/conveyer system.
After this, as the train would move about 600 m
forward and then 600 m back, a caterpillar system
would gently propel the cable from the rows on
the cars onto and along the roller/conveyer to
the rotating turntable, as the rims were removed
sequentially.  

In this manner the entire 46 or 50 km of cable

could be unloaded from the train and loaded
onto a turntable on the barge. A second section
of cable on another set of cars or unit train
could be unloaded onto one of the storage
turntables. Regardless, optimizing barge size,
barge turntable capacity, number of trainloads
per barge, separation distance between individual
cables on the lake bottom, etc., would be subject
to further investigations and innovation by cable
installation contractors, independent from the
main train transportation logistics. 

In summary, it appears technically feasible to

transport long lengths of submarine cables
to Lake Winnipeg, using conceptual methods
described above. However, the transportation
procedure and the laying of cable will require in
depth engineering and some tests to assure a safe
and low risk operation.

________________________
John Ryan, Ph.D., is Retired Professor of Geography and
Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipeg.

February 10, 2008; latest revision Dec 8, 2010

132 - Manitoba Hydro

Figure A4-3: Proposed Overhead and Submarine Cable HVDC Transmission Line

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 133

Proposal 2, while not the Panel’s preferred proposal for transporting long lengths
of submarine cable by train, is one of four concepts Dr. Ryan initially developed for
consideration by the Panel for inclusion in this report.
Proposal 2
Transporting Long Lengths of Submarine Cable by Train
by John Ryan, Consultant
This proposal outlines an alternative concept
on how long lengths of 500 MW 500 kV DC
submarine cable can be transported by train. The
proposal is suitable for cable with either mass
impregnated (MI) or extruded insulation (XLPE.
These cables would be approximately 130 mm
(5 in) in diameter with single-wire armour, have
a bending diameter of approximately 3 m (9 ft
10 in), and weigh about 45 kg per metre. This
proposal is unsuitable for AC cable because of its
larger bending diameter.
As presented in Proposal 1, the cable would be
designated for Lake Winnipeg, and the same
amounts of cable would need to be transported.
Also, by way of example, Montreal would be the
arrival port for the cable, and the procedure at the
dock for loading the cable on the train would be
identical to that presented in Proposal 1. However,
in this alternative concept, the procedure for
loading the cable on the long cars at each end of
the train would differ.
In this alternative proposal, when the cable
reaches the end of the last car it would be carefully
looped horizontally around a vertically positioned
3-m diameter aluminum drum (bolted to the
car floor), enabling the cable to double back and
form the second row. At this point the train would
go in reverse and back up while the cable would
continue to be laid on the cars as they pass by. On
reaching the end car the cable would once again
be looped around a 3-m drum and thereby double
back to form the third row. In this manner, with
the train going back and forth, the entire 46 or 50
km of cable could be loaded in a matter of several
134 - Manitoba Hydro
days. A second section of cable could be hauled
by loading another set of cars with either 46 or
50 km cable. Hence the total train would consist
of either 54 cars or 58 cars and would transport
either 92 or 100 km of cable, as required.
It should be noted that the cable lies in a
horizontal position on the ship’s turntable and
that it would be lifted and conveyed to form a
horizontal loop on the flatcar. Because the cable
would be transferred from a horizontal position
on the ship to a horizontal position on the train
there should be no torsional twist exerted on
the cable. That is the main advantage of this
alternative proposal.
As in Proposal 1, the same number and type
of flatcars would be required. However, in this
proposal the flatcars would require 0.6 m (2 ft)
high steel supports along the sides, but the first
and last cars would require 1.8 m (6 ft) high
steel supports. At the ends of the first and last
cars, there would be, bolted to the floor, specially
designed 1.5 m (5 ft) high aluminum drums,
measuring 3 m in diameter. It is around these
drums that the cable would be looped, allowing
it to double back. For each 22-row layer there
would be 11 loops around the drum, which
would measure about 1.4 m (4 ½ ft) high. The
drum for the second layer should be positioned
about 4.5 m from the first drum, and it would
be bolted on supports above the first layer (so as
not to exert any weight on the cables in the first
layer). The drum for the third layer should be
positioned about 4.5 m from the second drum,
and again it would be bolted on supports above
the two layers of cable. Likewise, the drum for the
fourth layer should be positioned about 4.5 m
from the third drum. With the exception of the
first drums on the two end cars, the remaining
drums would be installed and bolted to the
supports only after the relevant preceding layer of
cable would be laid. A 28.6-m (94 ft) car could
accommodate the four sets of loops on drums,
and it is for this reason that these longer cars
would be required. The attached sketch shows the
layout of this design.
Figure A4-4: Proposal 2 rail transport with vertical drums
Aside from the above differences in loading the
cable on the cars, all other aspects in the transport
of cable on a train would be identical to that
outlined in Proposal 1, including the unloading
procedure.
_________________________
John Ryan, Ph.D., is Retired Professor of Geography and
Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipeg.
February 20, 2010; latest revision June 15, 2010
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 135
Proposal 3, while not the Panel’s preferred proposal for transporting long lengths
of submarine cable by train, is one of four concepts Dr. Ryan initially developed for
consideration by the Panel for inclusion in this report.
Proposal 3
Transporting long sections of DC submarine cable
with extruded insulation by train, coiled on widened flatcars
by John Ryan, Consultant
In this proposal an additional concept is
presented on how long sections of 500 MW 500
kV DC submarine cable with extruded insulation
(XLPE) can be transported by train. The
procedure involves coiling the cable on a series
of specially widened flatcars. Cable with extruded
insulation may tolerate a certain degree of coiling
and twisting so this procedure may be feasible.
However, because of the coiling and torsional
twist involved in this concept, this process would
not be suitable for cable with mass impregnated
(MI) insulation since this cable cannot be coiled
or twisted.
As presented in Proposal 1, the cable would be
designated for Lake Winnipeg, and the same
amounts of cable would need to be transported.
Also, by way of example, Montreal would be the
arrival port for the cable.
In this proposal, a 46 or 50 km length of cable
would be loaded on a series of flatcars, with
supports for sides, by means of coiling the cable
in several rows along the outer edges of each
car. Once the first car is loaded, the cable would
be extended to the adjoining car – a distance of
almost a metre (3 ft 2 ½ in) – and then with the
same procedure the second car would be loaded
and all other succeeding cars. The connecting
cable between the cars should be enclosed in
a specially designed and correctly curved rigid
protective case. This would protect the cable
from vibration and possible damage. This
section of cable would still be subjected to slight
bends as the train navigates curves, but because
136 - Manitoba Hydro
these would not involve sharp bends this may
not be detrimental to the cable. Nevertheless,
this procedure should be tested to ensure that
no damage could occur to these short sections
between the cars.
Since the bending diameter of the cable is 3 m (9
ft 10 in) and the standard flatcar is 3.05 metres
(10 ft) wide, to accommodate four rows of 130
mm (5 in) diameter cable, both ends of the car
would have to be widened to 4.3 m (14 ft) by the
addition of 0.6 m (2 ft) extensions on each side of
the car. This additional width at each end of the
car should extend along the length of the car for
4.3 m (14 ft). Hence the car would have a type of
hour-glass configuration, as shown in the attached
diagram.
A support structure, measuring 1.2 m (4 ft) in
height, would have to be built on all four sides
of the car. These supports could be made of steel
bars at intervals of about 0.6 m (2 ft), and sheets
of plywood or some other material would be
installed to prevent the bars from damaging the
cable. The extensions to the floor on each side of
the car at both ends could also be made of steel
bars and covered with plywood or some other
material. Steel bars would be far less expensive
than the use of solid steel plates.
The adaptation would have to be made to 30 cars
for a 50 km length of cable. It should be possible
to haul two lengths of cable per trip so the
adaptation would have to be made to 60 cars.
On a 61-foot car (18.6 m), four rows of cable
could be stacked 10 layers deep. With a cable
diameter of 130 mm (5 in) the 10 layers would
have a height of 1.3 m (50 in), hence the
necessity for 1.2 m (4 ft) sides all around the car.
These could probably be made of steel bars at 0.6
m (2-foot) intervals, with sheets of plywood laid
against them to prevent damage to the cable.
The outer row of cable would be the longest in
length, i.e., 42.8 m, and the three succeeding
rows would be 42.2 m, 40.6 m, and 40 m. The
four rows, stacked 10 layers deep, would have an
overall length of 1.656 km and at 45 tonnes per
km the total weight would be 74.5 tonnes per car.
A train with this weight per car would be within
the weight limits for the track from Winnipeg to
Powerview-Pine Falls.
With 1.6 km of cable on each car we would need
30 cars for a 50 km length. A 46 km length of
cable would require 28 cars. A 30-car train would
measure 585 m, and 28 cars would be 546 m.
The 600 m track at Powerview-Pine Falls could
accommodate trains of this length.
A gantry on the ship with the appropriate lifting
and pulling apparatus would load the cable onto
the cars. A second gantry with the associated
lifting and pulling apparatus would be loaded
on an extra car and hauled with the cable cars
to Powerview-Pine Falls. At this destination, the
gantry would be assembled on a concrete pad
beside the track in order to unload the cars.
With this system of transporting the cable there
would be the expense to adapt 60 cars, i.e., to
extend the width of the cars to 4.3 m (14 ft) for a
lengthwise distance of 4.3 m (14 ft) at each end,
and the necessity to build 1.2 m (4 ft) sides with
steel bars on all four sides of the car. Also some
type of support system would be required at the
mid-point of the car to ensure that the stack of
cables along each side would stand upright, with
no slippage.
A further drawback to the system of coiling the
cables in each car is that it would take longer
to load and unload the cable as compared to
Proposals 1 and 2.
Both CN and CP have been apprised of this
concept and the matter of car adaptation and
both railways affirmed that they have clearance
for 14 foot wide rail cars.
Although XLPE cable can tolerate a degree of
torsional twist, there are conflicting views on
whether this cable could be coiled in the manner
described in this proposal.
________________________
John Ryan, Ph.D., is Retired Professor of Geography and
Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipeg.
December 18, 2009; latest revision June 15, 2010
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 137
Figure A4-5: Proposal 3 rail transport with widened flatcars

138 - Manitoba Hydro

Proposal 4, while not the Panel’s preferred proposal for transporting long lengths
of submarine cable by train, is one of four concepts Dr. Ryan initially developed for
consideration by the Panel for inclusion in this report.
Proposal 4
Transporting DC cable with extruded insulation
on widened flatcars in a figure 8 pattern
by John Ryan, Consultant
This is a further concept on how long sections
of 500 MW 500 kV DC submarine cable with
extruded insulation (XLPE) may be transported by
train.
As presented in Proposal 1, the cable would be
designated for Lake Winnipeg, and the same
amounts of cable would need to be transported.
Also, by way of example, Montreal would be the
arrival port for the cable.
In this proposal, it should be possible to load a 46
or 50 km length of cable on a series of flatcars by
loading it in a prescribed manner on individual
cars. Once the first car is loaded, the cable would
be extended to the adjoining car – a distance of
almost a metre (3 ft 2 ½ in) – and then with the
same procedure the second car would be loaded
and all other succeeding cars. The connecting cable
between the cars should be enclosed in a specially
designed and correctly curved rigid protective case.
This would protect the cable from vibration and
possible damage. This section of cable would still
be subjected to slight bends as the train navigates
curves, but because these would not involve sharp
bends this may not be detrimental to the cable.
Nevertheless, this procedure should be tested to
ensure that no damage could occur to these short
sections between the cars.
The cable would not be coiled within the
individual cars – instead it would be laid in a
type of figure eight configuration, as shown in
the accompanying diagram. After forming a 180
degree curve at one end of the car the cable would
cross over diagonally to the other end where it
would form another 180 degree curve but in
the opposite direction, thereby eliminating any
overall twist to the cable. As such, this would
eliminate the cumulative torsional stress that
would occur if the cable were coiled on the car.
Since the bending diameter of the cable is 3 m
(9 ft 10 in) and the standard flatcar is 3.05 m (10
ft), to accommodate four rows of 130 mm (5 in)
diameter cable, both ends of the car would have
to be extended to a width of 14 feet (4.3 m) by
the addition of 2-foot (0.6 m) extensions on each
side of the car. This additional width at each end
of the car should extend along the length of the
car for 14 feet (4.3 m). Hence the car would have
a type of hour-glass configuration, as shown in
the diagram.
The main restricting feature and drawback of this
proposal is the limitation on the height of cable
where it criss-crosses at the midpoint of the car.
In crossing diagonally from one corner of the
car to the other the cables cross each other at
the midpoint section. The height restriction on
trains from Montreal to Winnipeg is 6.1 m (20 ft).
Since the flatcar has a height of 1.2 m (4 ft), this
leaves 4.9 m (16 ft) for the cable. With the cable
being 130 mm (5 in) in diameter, this would
theoretically allow for 38 layers of cable. However
some type of material, perhaps about a ¼ of an
inch thick would have to be inserted between
the cables to prevent rubbing damage and to
alleviate the weight from the upper layers on the
lower layers of cable. Considering this, plus a
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 139
small margin for safety, means that the probable
maximum number of cables would be 32 and no
more than 36, i.e., 13.3 or 15 ft in height.
Four rows of cable on each side of the car would
result in 8 criss-crosses per layer at the midpoint,
so 4 layers would total 32 cables, for a height of
13.3 ft. An extra two rows on a fifth layer would
result in 36 cables or 15 ft.
Two-foot (0.6 m) high supports would have to
be constructed along the sides of the 14-foot
extensions at both ends of the car. These supports
could be made of steel bars at intervals of about
0.6 m (2 ft), and sheets of plywood or some other
material would be installed to prevent the bars
from damaging the cable. The two-foot extensions
to the floor on each side of the car at both ends
could also be made of steel bars and covered with
plywood or some other material. Steel bars would
be far less expensive than the use of solid steel
plates. Probably a type of rack could be made of
steel bars and then attached to the floor at each
end of a car.
On a 61- ft car (18.6 m), the outer row of cable
would be the longest in length, i.e., 42.8 m, and
the three succeeding rows would be 42.2 m, 40.6
m, and 40 m. The four rows, stacked 4 layers deep,
would have an overall length of 0.662 km. If two
additional rows were added as a partial fifth layer,
the length would be 0.7474 km, and at 45 tonnes
per km the total weight would be only 34 tonnes
per car.
With this short length per car, to transport 46
km of cable would require 62 flatcars and a 50
km length would need 67 cars. Considering that
Proposals 1, 2 and 3 would require only 27 to 30
cars, the transport costs for this method would
be more than double. With the other proposals
the plan is to transport two lengths of cable per
trip, utilizing 50 or 60 flatcars. With this method
only one length of cable could be transported.
140 - Manitoba Hydro
The problem is compounded because this would
not only involve train transport but ship transport
as well. Overall, the additional costs for this
proposal would be significantly greater.
A gantry on the ship with the appropriate lifting
and pulling apparatus would load the cable onto
the cars. A second gantry with the associated
lifting and pulling apparatus would be loaded
on an extra car and hauled with the cable cars
to Powerview-Pine Falls. At this destination, the
gantry would be assembled on a concrete pad
beside the track in order to unload the cars.
This procedure for transporting cable poses a
problem at Powerview-Pine Falls because the
current track near the unloading area is only 600
metres in length. A 62-car train would be 1.2 km
and a 67-car train would be 1.3 km in length.
This would necessitate the double-tracking of
this section, with a siding system to shunt off the
excess cars as they would be unloaded.
Both CN and CP have been apprised of this
concept and the matter of car adaptation and
both railways affirmed that they have clearance
for 14 foot wide rail cars.
Although XLPE cable can tolerate a degree of
torsional twist, there are conflicting views on
whether this cable could be coiled in the manner
described in this proposal.
­­­­­________________________
John Ryan, Ph.D., is Retired Professor of Geography and
Senior Scholar at the University of Winnipeg.
December 22, 2009; latest revision June 15, 2010
Figure A4-6: Proposal 4 rail transport with figure 8 cable coiling

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 141

142 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 5: 500 kV Global Cable System Applications
Table A5-1: 500 kV AC XLPE Underground Cable System Applications

Cct. Length Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor

Supplier Location Year I/S Joints
(km) Type (MW) Type (mm2)

Grand Coulee
J-Power Systems 1977 20.0/3 Tunnel SCFF
Dam; USA

Tsuruga P/S;
J-Power Systems 1985 0.7/3 SCFF-PPL 2500
Japan

Imaichi P/S;
J-Power Systems 1987 0.615 XLPE 1400
Japan

Shimogo P/S;
J-Power Systems 1988 0.19 XLPE 800
Japan

Shimogo P/S;
J-Power Systems 1990 0.381 XLPE 800
Japan

Shiobara P/S;
Viscas 1992 0.46 XLPE 1400
Japan

Reihoku P/S; SCFFF-

J-Power Systems 1994 0.9/3 2500
Japan PPL

Okukiyotsu 2nd
J-Power Systems 1995 2 x 0.280 XLPE 800
P/S; Japan

Okumino P/S;
J-Power Systems 1996 1.4 XLPE 800
Japan

Okumino P/S;
J-Power Systems 1996 2.4 XLPE 800
Japan

Matsuura P/S;
J-Power Systems 1996 1.246 XLPE 1200
Japan

1996,
Viscas; J-Power Shinkeiyo- XLPE 27
1997, 2 x 40.0 69 Tunnel 1200 2500
Systems Toyuso; Japan km
2000

1996,
Viscas; J-Power Shinkeiyo- XLPE 27
1997, 2 x 40.0 69 Tunnel 1200 2500
Systems Toyuso; Japan km
2000

Okutataragi P/S;
J-Power Systems 1997 1.459 Tunnel XLPE 800
Japan

Kashiwazaki P/S;
J-Power Systems 1997 4.6/3 SCFF-PPL 2500
Japan

Okutataragi P/S;
J-Power Systems 1997 4.4/3 XLPE 800
Japan

Kazunogawa P/S;
Viscas 1997 2.2 XLPE 1000
Japan

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 143

Table A5-1 (continued)

Cct. Length Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor

Supplier Location Year I/S Joints
(km) Type (MW) Type (mm2)

Tianhuangping
J-Power Systems 1997 3 x 0.697 XLPE 800
P/S; China

Tachibanawan
J-Power Systems 1998 2 x 1.614 XLPE 1000
P/S; Japan

Tachibanawan
J-Power Systems 1998 4.8/3 XLPE 1000
P/S; Japan

Anan Converter
J-Power Systems 1998 0.219 XLPE 1200
Station; Japan

Anan Converter
J-Power Systems 1998 0.272 XLPE 800
Station; Japan

Anan Converter
J-Power Systems 1998 0.289 XLPE 800
Station; Japan

Anan Converter
J-Power Systems 1998 0.202 XLPE 1200
Station; Japan

Kihioku S/S;
Viscas 1998 6 x 0.600 XLPE 800
Japan

Tachibanawan
J-Power Systems 1999 1.015 XLPE 800
P/S; Japan

Tachibanawan
J-Power Systems 1999 1.023 XLPE 1000
P/S; Japan

Echizen P/S;
Viscas 1999 1.2 XLPE 1400
Japan

Kihioku S/S;
Viscas 1999 2 x 0.360 XLPE 1500/800
Japan

Viscas Futtsu P/S; Japan 2000 1 XLPE 800

Viscas Futtsu P/S; Japan 2001 1 x 0.210 XLPE 800

Hitachi-Naka P/S;
J-Power Systems 2001 0.547 XLPE 2500
Japan

Dachaoshan HPP;
Suedkabel/ABB 2002 0.77 No XLPE 800
Yunnan, China

Kannagawa S/S;
Viscas 2003 1 x 1.750 XLPE 1000
Japan

Zheijang P/S;
Viscas 2003 1 x 0.814 XLPE 800
China

J-Power Systems Hirono P/S; Japan 2003 1.11 XLPE 800

Viscas Futtsu P/S; Japan 2004 1 x 1.124 XLPE 2500

144 - Manitoba Hydro

Table A5-1 (continued)

Cct. Length Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor

Supplier Location Year I/S Joints
(km) Type (MW) Type (mm2)

Bureskaya HPP:
Suedkabel 2005 0.8 No Tunnel ? XLPE 800
Russia

Omarugawa P/S;
Viscas 2005 1 x 1.480 XLPE 800
Japan

Sanbanxi P/S;
J-Power Systems 2005 0.477 XLPE 1200
China

Suedkabel Sudan 2006 1.3 XLPE 1200

Suedkabel Sudan 2006 1 XLPE 800

Viscas Shangxi; China 2006 1 x 1.554 XLPE 800

J-Power Systems Yixing P/S; China 2006 2 x 0.716 XLPE 800

Yunan Huaneng
Viscas Xiaowan P/S; 2007 1 x 2.050 XLPE 1000
China

Henan
Viscas 2007 1 x 1.050 XLPE 800
Heimifeng; China

Shanghai Expo; 5 x 1.440 + 1

Viscas 2007 XLPE 2500
China x 0.240

Boaquan P/S;
J-Power Systems 2007 2 x 0.734 XLPE 800
China

Huizhou P/S;
J-Power Systems 2007 2 x 0.500 XLPE 800
China

Bailianhe P/S;
J-Power Systems 2007 2 x 0.372 XLPE 800
China

Omarugawa P/S;
J-Power Systems 2007 1.328 XLPE 800
Japan

Xilongchi P/S;
Viscas 2008 0.850/3 Tunnel XLPE 800
China

Kashiwazaky
Viscas 2008 1 x 0.550 XLPE 2500
Kariwa; Japan

Yunan Huaneng
Viscas Xiaowan P/S; 2008 1 x 2.478 XLPE 1000
China

Huizhou P/S;
J-Power Systems 2008 4 x 0.627 XLPE 800
China

0.810 +
Nexans France Ochakova; Russia 2009 0.720; 1.820 DB 660 XLPE 2500; 800
800 sq mm

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 145

Table A5-1 (continued)

Cct. Length Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor

Supplier Location Year I/S Joints
(km) Type (MW) Type (mm2)

Kashiwazaky
Viscas 2009 1 x 0.640 XLPE 2500
Kariwa; Japan

Shimane P/S;
Viscas 2009 1 x 1.504 XLPE 2000
Japan

Luoyang P/S;
Viscas 2009 1 x 0.493 XLPE 800
China

Kashiwazaky 1 x 1.720 + 1
Viscas 2009 XLPE 800
Kariwa; Japan x 1.577

Liaoning Pushihe;
Viscas 2009 1 x 1.066 XLPE 2500
China

Kashiwazaki P/S;
J-Power Systems 2009 2 x 0.834 XLPE 2500
Japan

Shibo - Sanlin;
Nexans France 2010 17 Tunnel 1560 XLPE 2500
Shanghai; China

Porce 3 P/S;
Suedkabel 2010 2 x 0.7 No Tunnel 600 XLPE 800
Colombia

Shibo - Sanlin;
Viscas 2010 17 Tunnel 1560 XLPE 2500
Shanghai; China

Kashiwazaki P/S;
J-Power Systems 2010 2 x 0.520 XLPE 2500
Japan

Beskudniko:
Nexans France ? 3 x 0.2 No ? 2000 XLPE 2500
Russia

146 - Manitoba Hydro

Table A5-2: 500 kV AC SCFF Underground Cable System Applications

Cct.
Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor
Supplier Location Year I/S Length Joints
Type (MW) Type (mm2)
(km)

Grand Coulee
BICC 1973 20.0/3 Tunnel SCFF
Dam; USA
1990
Honshu-Shikoku; Bridge and
J-Power Systems and 22.0 SCFF–PPL 2500
Japan DB
1994
Grand Coulee
J-Power Systems 1977 20.0/3 Tunnel SCFF
Dam; USA

J-Power Systems Tsuruga P/S; Japan 1985 0.7/3 SCFF-PPL 2500

J-Power Systems Reihoku P/S; Japan 1994 0.9/3 SCFF-PPL 2500

J-Power Systems Kashiwazaki P/S;

1997 4.6/3 SCFF-PPL 2500
Japan

500 kV AC XLPE Submarine Cable System Applications

None presently exist.

The highest voltage XLPE submarine cables are the Gossen Island 420 kV cables installed for the Ormen
Lange offshore gas production project.

The next highest will be a new 345 kV submarine cable crossing between New Jersey and Brooklyn, to be
in-service in 2011.

Table A5-3: 500 kV AC SCFF Submarine Cable System Applications

Cct.
Year Installation Capacity Insul. Conductor
Supplier Location Length Joints
I/S Type (MW) Type (mm2)
(km)

Nexans/Viscas Hainan Island; China Submarine; SCFF–

2009 31.0 600 800
100 m deep PPL

Mainland BC to
2 x (30.0 Submarine; SCFF
Nexans/Prysmian Vancouver Island; 1984 1200/cct 1600
+ 8.0) 400 m deep -kraft
Canada

500 kV DC XLPE Underground Cable System Applications

None exist. The highest voltage system for a completely underground DC application using XLPE cables is
+/- 150 kV (MurrayLink).

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 147

Table A5-4: 500 kV DC SCFF Underground Cable System Applications

Cct. Length Installation Capacity Cable

Supplier Location Year I/S Joints Sheath
(km) Type (MW) type

St. Lawrence
River crossing, SCFF- Lead
Sumitomo/JPS 1991 5.1 Tunnel
Quebec; kraft alloy
Canada

500 kV DC MI Underground Cable System Applications

None exist for a completely underground application, but there are underground sections associated with
the 500 kVdc ‘Neptune’ submarine cable project from New Jersey to Long Island (36 cable reels, weighing
up to 54.4 kg, 4 m diameter). The underground length is 22 km. There are also underground sections
associated with the 500 kV DC Italy-Sardinia project, with 15 km on land.

500 kV DC XLPE Submarine Cable System Applications

None exist. The highest voltage system presently in service is 150 kV dc.

In 2010 Prysmian will commission a new 200 kV dc system in the San Francisco Bay area.

In 2010 J-Power systems will commission a new 250 kV dc XLPE cable system between Honshu and
Hokkaido in Japan, which will be designed for LCC converters.

Table A5-5: 500 kV DC SCFF Submarine Cable System Applications

Cct.
Installation Capacity Cable
Supplier Location Year I/S Length Joints Sheath
Type (MW) type
(km)

4 x 50
Honshu- Submarine, 1400 initial SCFF- Lead
Viscas/JPS 2000 km
Shikoku; Japan 75m deep 2800 final PPL alloy
cables

Table A5-6: 500 kV DC MI Submarine Cable System Applications

Cct.
Installation Capacity Cable
Supplier Location Year I/S Length Joints Sheath
Type (MW) type
(km)

2 x 390
Italy-Sardinia; 2009, Submarine, Lead
Prysmian km 2 x 500 MI
Italy 2010 1600 m deep alloy
cables
New Jersey – NY
Submarine, 75
Prysmian (Long Island); 2009 82 600 MW MI
m deep
USA

148 - Manitoba Hydro

Table A5-7: DC MI Submarine Cable Installations at all Voltages, 1956 – 2010

Length Max. Water Depth

Name of Link Date Voltage (kV) Power (MW) Type
(cable-km) (m)

Sweden (Gotland 1) 1956 100 20 100 160 MI

Italy – Sardinia 1965 200 100 2 x 118 450 MI

Sweden-Denmark (Konti-
1965 285 300 64 80 MI
Skan 1)

Canada (Vancouver Island 1) 1969 300 156 3 x 27 200 MI

Norway-Denmark
1976 263 250 2 x 125 600 MI
(Skagerrak 1,2)

Canada (Vancouver Island 2) 1976 300 185 2 x 35 200 MI

Sweden (Gotland 2,3) 1983 150 160 2 x 100 160 MI

England-France (Cross-
1986 270 250 8 x 50 55 MI
Channel 2)

Sweden-Denmark (Konti-
1988 285 300 2 x 64 80 MI
Skan 2,3)

Finland-Sweden (Fenno-
1989 400 500 200 117 MI
Skan)

New Zealand (Cook Strait 2) 1991 350 500 3 x 40 300 MI

Norway-Denmark
1993 350 500 125 500 MI
(Skagerrak 3)

S. Korea (Jeju Island) 1993 180 150 2 x 96 160 MI

Sweden-Germany (Baltic
1994 450 600 250 60 MI
Cable)

Sweden – Poland (SwePol) 1999 450 600 253 90 MI

Greece-Italy (GRITA) 2001 400 500 1 x 160 1000 MI

Scotland-N. Ireland (Moyle) 2001 250 500 2 x 55 100 MI

Australia (BassLink) 2005 400 500 1 x 290 75 MI

Norway-Netherlands
2007 450 700 1 x 580 410 MI
(NorNed)

USA (New Jersey – Long

2007 500 660 1 x 84 25 MI
Island –Neptune)

2008 500 1 x 420

Sardinia-Italy (SAPEI) 500 1620 MI
2010 500 1 x 420

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 149

150 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 6: Differences Between AC and DC Cable Technologies

Introduction Figure A6-1: AC cable insulation stress versus radius

There is little difference in appearance between
AC and DC transmission cables, as the basic
components look to be very similar. They are
both comprised of:
• A metallic conductor (copper or
aluminum)
• Insulation (laminar or extruded)
• Metal sheath
• Inner Jacket
• Armour (in the case of submarine cables)

However, there are major differences in the

electrical insulation design, which is more
complex for DC cables than for AC cables.

Electric Field Distribution in an AC Cable

The electric field distribution in an AC cable is

dependent on the capacitance of the insulation,
which is in turn dependent on the insulation
geometry. The permittivity of the insulation is
usually uniform with radius and constant with
temperature.
Electric field strength, or stress, is determined by
the following equation.
Where:
Er = Electric field strength at radius r (kV/mm)
V = AC voltage across insulation (kV)
r = Radius at any point in insulation (mm)
ri = Radius at inside of insulation (mm)
ro = Radius at outside of insulation (mm)
Electric Field Distribution in a DC Cable
The electric field distribution in a DC cable is
dependent primarily on the insulation resistance,
which is temperature dependent, and secondarily
by the electric field stress. When a DC cable is
first energized, the temperature of the insulation
is constant throughout, and the maximum stress
is at the inside of the insulation, as with an AC
cable. However, as load is applied, the conductor
emits heat and a temperature gradient arises
across the insulation. The result is a non-uniform
insulation resistivity, such that the maximum
stress is no longer at the inside of the insulation.
At full load the insulation can therefore
experience a higher stress at the outside than
inside, as shown in Figure A6-1.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 151

Figure A6-2: DC cable insulation stress versus radius and
temperature
Calculation of DC insulation stress is far more
complex than for AC cables, as reflected in the
following equations.
152 - Manitoba Hydro
Where:
Er = Electric field at radius r (kV/mm)
V = DC voltage across insulation (kV)
r = Radius at any point in insulation (mm)
ri = Radius at inside of insulation (mm)
ro = Radius at outside of insulation (mm)
Wc = Losses in conductor (W/m)
T = Thermal resistivity of insulation
(K-m/W)
a = Electrical resistivity temperature
coefficient (per °C)
b = Electrical resistivity stress coefficient
(per kV/mm)
DC Instead of AC Cables
Effect of Capacitance
Cable insulation has a capacitance, C, given by
the following equation:
Where:
C = Insulation capacitance (μFarads/km)
e = Insulation permittivity
Effect of Charging Current
Applying an AC voltage results in a current
flowing into the cable to charge the capacitance.
Where:
Ic = Insulation charging current (A/km)
Xc = Capacitive reactance (μOhms/km)
f = Frequency (Hz)
From the above equation it can be seen that the
charging current is cumulative with cable length.
If cables are sufficiently long, the charging current
can heat the cable to its maximum allowable
operating temperature, such that no usable power
can be transmitted.
Since the equation shows that charging current
is dependent on voltage, it is clear that charging
current is independent of load and is present
whenever the cables are energized.
It can also be seen that as the frequency goes to
zero, as is the case for DC, the cable charging
current also goes to zero, highlighting one of the
great advantages of DC cables compared to AC
cables.
Table A6-1: Comparative Losses of AC versus DC Cables
AC Cables
Ohmic losses in conductor
Induced losses in conductor
Induced losses in sheath
Induced losses in armour
Effect of Dielectric Losses
Applying an AC voltage to an insulation also
results in dielectric losses, as defined by the
following equation.
Where:
Wd = Dielectric losses due to internal
heating of the insulation (W/km)
tandelta = Dielectric loss angle (also known as
dissipation factor or power factor)
From the above equation it can be seen that the
dielectric losses are proportional to the square of
the AC voltage, so that these effects become much
more pronounced at EHV levels. They are also
frequency-dependent, so that DC cables have no
dielectric losses.
DC Cables
Ohmic losses in conductor
nil
nil
nil
The implications of the above are that DC cables
can transmit power for very long distances with
low losses. Of course the low DC cable losses
are offset by their converter losses, which don’t
exist for AC cables. And the negative aspects
of AC cable transmission that limits effective
transmission distance and capacity can be
overcome with shunt reactive compensation
systems, to somewhat neutralize the effects of
capacitance.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 153
154 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 7: Grand Rapids Bottleneck
Introduction
To construct an electrical link from northern
generation to a future termination point in the
south, there needs to be consideration over the
problems with the Grand Rapids area. If a link
is built, whether it be underground, overhead,
underwater, or a combination of the three and
brought through the Grand Rapids area, issues
exist.
The ground conditions consist of fractured
limestone bedrock at surface. This has caused
difficulties in the past for the installation of a
fibre optic link. During the construction of the
fibre optic cable through Grand Rapids, the cable
could not be drilled under the river due to the
leakage of drilling fluid through the fractures into
the ground water and surface water. Ultimately,
the cable was trenched in at a high cost with
consequences to the surface water. Further cables
would be trenched in as well.
The proximity of the underground cable or
above ground cable to existing transmission
lines needs to be reviewed. To go overhead, the
potential from a storm knocking out the major
transmission of power to the South has to be
factored. An option is to bury the cable, leaving
little chance of a storm to damage it; however,
terrorism or electrical interference may cause
issues.
The use of the Grand Rapids corridor is not
free of significant issues as it relates to the
performance of a transmission link to southern
load centers from northern generation.
Background
Grand Rapids is an area approximately 400 km
north of Winnipeg, Manitoba where Cedar Lake
flows into Lake Winnipeg via the Saskatchewan
River. This is an area where the separation
between Lake Winnipeg and Cedar Lake narrows
to mere metres. In this bottleneck section,
Manitoba Hydro has all of its DC transmission,
and a significant amount of AC travelling through
this narrow corridor. Specifically, the following
AC and DC lines:
• G1A/G2A AC Transmission
• G31V AC Transmission
• G9F AC Transmission
• G8P AC Transmission (which
runs north to Ponton
Station)
• Bipole I & II DC Transmission
In addition, there is buried fibre optic cable
in this section. The fibre optic cable travels
from Winnipeg, north to Gillam to provide
communications for northern generation
activities.
This bottleneck has always caused concern due to
the concentration of assets in this location. Some
solutions suggested in the past have included the
creation of islands in Cedar Lake for transmission
towers to be placed on.
While the bottleneck section is quite congested,
there is opportunity for routing further HVAC or
DC transmission through the area. There is a risk
associated with this due to the concentration of
transmission in the area and events damaging
numerous lines simultaneously, storm, terrorism,
etc. Underground cables may provide a greater
level of protection as the cable is not subjected
to problems associated with transmission towers.
Further studies would be required to determine
the effects of locating new HVAC and DC cables
so close.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 155
 Figure A7-1: Location of Grand Rapids

The black lines on the green map are the major

Manitoba Hydro transmission lines in the
province. The two small red lines refer to the
spillway and dam at the generating station.

Figure A7-2: Grand Rapids Reserve Location

The Grand Rapids reserve is identified above in

the green shaded area.

156 - Manitoba Hydro

Figure A7-3: Grand Rapids Infrastructure
The above map shows the infrastructure that exists
in the vicinity of the Grand Rapids Generating
Station
Overview
Grand Rapids lies on the Saskatchewan River,
approximately 400 kilometres north of Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada. The rapids have been
replaced by an excavated channel and dam for
the production of electricity. The old riverbed
contains the spillway structure. The dam is
located at a narrow strip of land between Cedar
Lake (upstream of Grand Rapids) and Lake
Transmission Lines
Roads
Highway PTH #6
Winnipeg (downstream of Grand Rapids). Two
communities live in the area immediately below
the dam site; the community of Grand Rapids on
the west side of the river, and the Grand Rapids
First Nation on the east. The following aerial
photograph shows the communities along either
side of the river below the dam site.
Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 157
Figure A7-4: Grand Rapids in an aerial photo

North

The aerial photograph is a visual presentation

illustrating the congestion in the Grand Rapids
area.

Grand Rapids Topography and Geology Figure A7-5: Trench at Grand Rapids

The Grand Rapids area is a low-lying area

consisting of lakes, creeks and boreal forest.
Ground conditions consist of nearly no humus
and fractured bedrock at or near the surface.
The bedrock is limestone and the area has been
affected by past glaciations.

The above photos show trenching for a fibre optic

project in the same material as Grand Rapids.

158 - Manitoba Hydro

Figure A7-6: Trenching machine

Area Land Use

The area is primarily used for hunting, trapping

and fishing by the local population. In addition,
there is logging occurring in the area, but no
significant industry exists.

Conclusion

Options for installing an HVAC or DC link

through the Grand Rapids area are limited due
to the bottleneck effect from the congestion of
existing transmission lines. One option may be
to install underground cables through the area.
This would entail one trench for either an AC or
DC system. Issues with this installation would be
environmental (water turbidity and fish habitat)
and physical room (the area is currently congested
as shown in previous aerial photos). Further
issues may exist due to ground temperatures,
proximity of overhead lines, etc. However, for this
report they have been limited to environmental
and physical. Other opportunities to route an
additional transmission line, whether above or
below ground or below Lake Winnipeg should be
looked at in conjunction with the Grand Rapids
area.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 159

160 - Manitoba Hydro
Appendix 8: Cable Laying Schedule
Cable Installation Schedule (Ship, Train, Barge) 1st Summer
Route 4, as example (540 km or 12 45-km lengths of cable)
Activity Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Load 2 45-km lengths of cable onto vessel at factory
Vessel transit to Montreal
Transfer cable to train at Montreal
Vessel returns to factory
Train travels to Powerview and transfers cable to turntables
Train returns to Montreal
Lay cable -- 1 wk for 45 km; 2 wks, if joint required
Lay cable -- 2 wks for 45 km, joint required
Train idle time
Barge idle time

Explanatory Notes:

Although the cable manufacturer(s) will be This remaining length of cable would be laid at
producing cable continuously during the shipping the beginning of the next summer.
season, this might not be enough to meet the
demands of a regular shipping schedule, so it During the first summer, because of having to
is assumed that an adequate amount of cable wait for the arrival of cable, the train would
would have been produced and stored during the remain idle for 6 weeks and the barge would be
preceding period to provide sufficient cable for idle for 8 weeks.
the entirety of the shipping season, and not cause
any delays due to shortage of cable. According to this schedule, during the first
summer, the first cable line consisting of four
It is assumed that a vessel such as North Ocean 45-km segments would be laid and three
103, fitted with a turntable, would be used to segments of the second line – the remaining
transport the cable. It travels at 16 knot and could fourth segment would be stored on a spare
cover the approximate 6000 km from Europe to turntable and would be laid at the beginning
Montreal in about nine days, which should leave of the second summer.
sufficient time in the two-week slot to transfer the
cable from the ship to a turntable on the dock.

In this schedule the laying of cable would begin

at Week Six, which would be the second week of
May, if the lake is ice-free.

The cable laying season would end at Week 25,

the last week of October, but this would leave one
45-km length of cable on a spare turntable.

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 161

Cable Installation Schedule (Ship, Train, Barge) 2nd Summer
Route 4, as example (540 km or 12 45-km lengths of cable)

Activity Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Load 2 45-km lengths of cable onto vessel at factory
Vessel transit to Montreal
Transfer cable to train at Montreal
Vessel returns to factory
Train travels to Powerview and transfers cable to turntables
Train returns to Montreal
Lay cable -- 1 wk for 45 km; 2 wks, if joint required
Lay cable -- 2 wks for 45 km, joint required
Train idle time
Barge idle time

Explanatory Notes:

In the second summer, starting the second week

of May if the lake is ice-free (Week Six), the laying
of cable would begin with the single length of
cable that was stored on a spare turntable at the
end of the first summer. This section of cable
would complete line two.

Line three would be completed at the end of

Week 15, the third week of August.

Because of having to wait for the arrival of cable,

the train would be idle for three weeks and the
barge one week.

In the event of disruptive storms or any other

disruptions or delays involving ship, train or
barge during the 1 ½ summers to lay the cable
for Route 4, the required contingency time would
be available in the remaining part of the second
summer.

162 - Manitoba Hydro

Appendix 9: Bipole I and Bipole II Reliability 1993 - 1998

Table A9-1: Bipole I and Bipole II Reliability 1993 - 1998 *

Combined Bipole I
Bipole I Bipole II
+ Bipole II
Year
No. of Forced Duration of Forced No. of Forced Duration of Forced Average No. of forced
Outages/900km Outages (hrs) Outages/1000km Outages (hrs) outages/100 km/year

2008 2 2.1 4 0.6

2007 0 0 1 0.2
2006 0 0 0 0
2005 2 0.3 2 0.3
2004 0 0 2 0.1
2003 2 0.6 3 44.8
2002 0 0 0 0.3
2001 2 0.9 3 0.3
2000 0 0 2 0
1999 0 0 0 0
1998 0 0 1 0.1
1997 0 0 18 0.4
1996** 1 117.5 10 182.7
1995 NA NA 10 0.6
1994 NA NA 2 0.3
1993 NA NA 9 0.9

Average
1996-2008 0.0909 10.6818 0.9091 16.6091
/900km
Average
1996-2008 0.0101 0.1010
/100km/year
Average
1996-2008
0.0556
/100km year
for both Bipoles

* Based on CIGRE1996-2010 papers on ‘A Survey of the Reliability of HVDC Systems Throughout the World’.
** 19 towers damaged by downburst

Report of the Concepts Review Panel - 163

164 - Manitoba Hydro