Analysis and prevention of accident-caused faults in power cable lines

Abstract

To ensure fault-free operation of power cable lines it is essential to make a thorough analysis of the type of faults and their location. The paper considers the most common type of faults and main reasons for cable damage. The case study of cable faults at an urban network (Zabaikalsky Krai) shows that the root cause is insulation deterioration, especially with the cables reaching the end of their 35 year lifetime. Therefore, to prevent faults and mitigate the threats it is necessary to increase surveillance of cable systems and use cables with higher reliability and functionality, e.g., XLPE cables.