UNDERGROUND

TRANSMISSION
LINE
 UNDERGROUND CABLES

. Conductors cover essentially consist of one or more

conductors covered with suitable insulation and
surrounded by protecting cover.
 COMPARISON
• Overhead Conductors
 REQUIREMENTS
• The conductor used in cables should be tinned stranded copper or
aluminium of high conductivity. Stranding is done so that conductor
may become flexible and carry more current. (ii) The conductor size
should be such that the cable carries the desired load current without
overheating and causes voltage drop within permissible limits.

• The cable must have proper thickness of insulation in order to give

high degree of safety and reliability at the voltage for which it is
designed.
• The cable must be provided with suitable mechanical protection so
that it may withstand the rough use in laying it.

• The materials used in the manufacture of cables should be

such that there is complete chemical and physical stability
throughout
CONSTRUCTION OF
CABLES
1. Core or Conductor - May have one or more than one
conductor. Made of tinned copper or aluminum.
2. Insulation – Each core or conductor is provided with
suitable thickness of insulation , the thickness of layer
depending upon the voltage to be with stood by the
cable. The commonly used materials for insulation
are impregnated paper, varnished cambric or rubber
mineral compound.
3. Metallic Sheath – in order to protect the cable from
moisture , gasses or other damaging liquids (acids or
alkalines), a metallic sheath of lead or aluminum is
provided.

4. Bedding - consists of fibrous material like hessian

tape. The purpose of bedding is to protect the
metallic sheath against corrosion and from mechanic
injury due to armouring.
5. Armouring – consists of one or two layers of
galvanized steel wire or steel tape. Its purpose
is to protect the c able from mechanical injury
while laying it and during the course of
handling.

6. Serving – in order to protect armouring from

atmospheric conditions . A layer of fibrous
material is provided.
 UNDERGROUND TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION ARE
INSTALLED
: WHEN

Densely populated urban areas

Areas where land is unavailable or
planning consent is difficult
Rivers and other natural obstacles
Land with outstanding natural or
environmental heritage
Areas of significant or prestigious
infrastructural development

Land whose value must be

maintained for future urban
expansion and rural development
 ADVANTAGES
• Less subject to damage from severe weather
conditions (mainly lightning, wind and
freezing)

• Greatly reduced emission, into the surrounding area,

of electromagnetic fields (EMF). All electric currents
generate EMF, but the shielding provided by the earth
surrounding underground cables restricts their range
and power.
 DISADVANTAGES OF
UNDERGROUND CABLES
Undergrounding is more expensive, since the cost of burying
cables at transmission voltages is several times greater than
overhead power lines, and the life-cycle cost of an underground
power cable is two to four times the cost of an overhead power
line.
 Whereas finding and repairing overhead wire breaks can be
accomplished in hours, underground repairs can take days or
weeks and for this reason redundant lines are run.
Underground power cables, due to their proximity to earth,
cannot be maintained live, whereas overhead power cables
can be.

Operations are more difficult since the high reactive power of

underground cables produces large charging currents and so
makes voltage control more difficult.
 CABLE REQUIREMENTS
The conductors used in cables should be tinned stranded
copper or aluminum of high conductivity.
The conductor size should carry the desired load current
without overheating and causes voltage drop within
permissible limits.
The cable must have proper thickness of insulation in order
to give high degree of safety and reliability at the voltage.
The materials used in the manufacture of cables should be
such that there is complete chemical and physical stability.
• Underground cables need a narrower surrounding strip
of about 1–10 meters to install, whereas an overhead
line requires a surrounding strip of about 20–200
meters wide to be kept permanently clear for safety,
maintenance and repair.

• Underground cables pose no hazard to low flying

aircraft or to wildlife, and are significantly safer as they
pose no shock hazard (except to the unwary digger).

• Much less subject to conductor theft, illegal

connections, sabotage, and damage from armed
conflict.
 PROPERTIES OF INSULATING MATERIALS
FOR CABLES
• 1. High insulation resistance to avoid leakage current.
• 2. High dielectric strength to avoid electrical breakdown of the cable.
• 3. High mechanical strength to withstand the mechanical handling of
cables.
• 4. Non-hygroscopic i.e., it should not absorb moisture from air or soil. The
moisture tends to decrease the insulation resistance and hastens the
breakdown of the cable.
• 5. Non-inflammable.
• 6. Low cost so as to make the underground system a viable proposition.
• 7. Unaffected by acids and alkalies to avoid any chemical action
 CLASSIFICATION OF CABLES
Cables for underground service may be classified in two ways
according to :
(a) the voltage for which they are manufactured.
• (i) Low-tension (L.T.) cables — up to 1000 V
• (ii) High-tension (H.T.) cables — up to 11,000 V
• (iii) Super-tension (S.T.) cables — from 22 kV to 33 kV
• (iv) Extra high-tension (E.H.T.) cables — from 33 kV to 66 kV
• (v) Extra super voltage cables — beyond 132 kV
 CABLES FOR 3-PHASE SERVICE
• The following types of cables are generally used for 3-phase service :
• 1. Belted cables — up to 11 kV
• 2. Screened cables — from 22 kV to 66 kV
a. H - type (H. Hochstadter )
b. SL type (separate lead)
• 3. Pressure cables — beyond 66 kV
• a. Oil filled
• b. gas filled
BELTED CABLE
SCREENED CABLES
SL TYPE
OIL=FILLED
 CONDITIONS FOR ROUTE
SELECTION
Roads with the ff. conditions should be avoided
1. Narrow roads
2. Roads with heavy traffic
3. Roads with too many curves or too much differences
in height.
4. Roads with heavy paving or underground water
problems
5. Private land or private roads
6. Places which would cause overheating
7. Areas of soft soil
8. Road soils are likely to corrode the cable electrically or
chemically.
9. Railroad crossings
10. Areas with other buried utilities.
 LAYING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES

A. DIRECT LAYING
This method of laying underground cables is simple and cheap
and is much favoured in modern practice. In this method, a
trench of about 1·5 meters deep and 45 cm wide is dug.
The trench is covered with a layer of fine sand (of about 10 cm
thickness) and the cable is laid over this sand bed. The sand
prevents the entry of moisture from the ground and thus
protects the cable from decay
DIRECT LAYING
Advantages
1. It is a simple and less costly method.
2. (ii) It gives the best conditions for dissipating
the heat generated in the cables.
3. (iii) It is a clean and safe method as the cable is
invisible and free from external disturbances
Disadvantages :
1. The extension of load is possible only by a completely new
excavation which may cost as much as the original work.
2. The alterations in the cable netwok cannot be made easily.
3. The maintenance cost is very high.
4. Localisation of fault is difficult.
5. It cannot be used in congested areas where excavation is
expensive and inconvenient.

This method of laying cables is used in open areas

where excavation can be done conveniently and at low
cost
B. DRAW-IN/DUCT System
- conduit or duct of glazed stone or cast iron or
concrete are laid in the ground with manholes at
suitable positions along the cable route. The
cables are then pulled into position from
manholes
Conduit – is a structure containing one or more ducts.
Duct – is a single enclosed runway (hole) for conductors
or cables.
Advantages:
1. Repairs, alterations or additions to the cable
network can be made without opening the
ground.
2. As the cables are not armoured, therefore, joints
become simpler and maintenance cost is
reduced considerably.

3. There are very less chances of fault

occurrence due to strong mechanical
protection provided by the system
Disadvantages;

1. The initial cost is very high.

2. The current carrying capacity of the cables is reduced
due to the close grouping of cables and unfavourable
conditions for dissipation of heat
3. This method of cable laying is suitable for congested area
This method is suited where excavation is expensive and inconvenient, for
once the conduits have been laid, repairs or alterations can be made without
opening the ground. This method is generally used for short length cable
routes such as in workshops, road crossings where frequent digging is
costlier or impossible.
CABLE LAYING USING DUCT SYSTEM
C. CULVERT SYSTEM/SOLID SYSTEM

In this method of laying, the cable is laid in open pipes or troughs dug
out in earth along the c able route.
Disadvantages
(i) It is more expensive than direct laid system.
(ii) It requires skilled labour and favourable weather conditions.
(iii) Due to poor heat dissipation facilities, the current carrying
capacity of the cable is reduced
CABLE LAYING IN SOLID/CULVERT
SYSTEM
UNDERGROUND TRANSMISSION LINE
 PARTS OF UNDERGROUND
SYSTEM
1. Conduits or Ducts
2. Manholes
3. Cables
4. Transformer vaults
5. Riser/potheads
MANHOLES
RISERS