EDS Provides Cable Testing to Vattenfall at Horns Rev 1

High voltage engineering specialist EDS HV Group (EDS), part of the UK’s leading marine services company – James Fisher and Sons plc, has carried out an innovative cable testing campaign for Vattenfall at Horns Rev 1 after the windfarm had experienced network issues.

In a first for the offshore wind industry, EDS used Damped AC testing (DAC) to collect a wealth of beneficial partial discharge (PD) and tanδ data to interpret the condition of the array cables and subject the entire array system to a high voltage withstand test.  

Luke Bishop, group engineering director at EDS, said: “Damped AC testing is a real step change in the industry.  VLF testing has been the “go-to” test system to-date. However, despite VLF’s advantages, it doesn’t have the benefits offered by DAC to test long lengths of array cables through multiple switchgear positions and collect PD and tanδ data, all from a single point. Due to excellent collaboration between EDS, Vattenfall and technology suppliers Onsite HV/EMT, we completed the campaign efficiently and successfully.  We look forward to further establishing DAC testing on IACs and export cables within the renewables industry.”

Using Damped AC in accordance with IEC standards, EDS tested all array cables from one single point on the offshore platform. This avoided multiple transfers of equipment and personnel, providing an obvious safety benefit and Vattenfall with the confidence to re-energize its network safely.