Pfisterer has developed a new repair joint for high-voltage subsea cables up to 170 kV, designed for TenneT, the transmission system operator in Germany and the Netherlands. This solution allows the connection of various three-core subsea cable types using a plug-in principle, regardless of the cable design or manufacturer.
The repair joint is based on Pfisterer’s Connex plug-in epoxy resin joint technology, which is already used on offshore wind farms and oil platforms to connect platform cables to export cables. The joint housing and internal optical fibre connection system were developed by the British engineering company Power CSL, providing a waterproof design that works well in underwater environments. All three cable phases are connected in parallel through a single plug-in procedure, which simplifies installation.
The development included testing to meet mechanical and electrical qualification standards, such as IEC 60840 and CIGRÉ 490 and 623. This repair joint offers a practical solution for subsea cable repairs, helping to support the maintenance of offshore energy infrastructure.
In addition to the 170 kV plug-in version, there is also a slip-on repair joint available for subsea cables up to 245 kV. This version shares the same mechanical components but includes a central joint body that allows for the connection of cables with different conductor cross-sections and geometries.
Pfisterer, TenneT, subsea cables, offshore wind, high-voltage
