Testing Standards

High voltage underground power cables must be tested in accordance with the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which sets specifications for electrical equipment and systems. The IEC provides a framework for international discussion and collaboration, from which agreed upon standards emerge for use in national specification systems and procurement.

The standard for testing of underground cables and systems is IEC 62067:

IEC 62067 (2006-03): Power cables with extruded insulation and their accessories for rated voltages above 150 kV (Um = 170 kV) up to 500 kV (Um = 550 kV) - Test methods and requirements

The standard can be purchased from the IEC by following this link:

http://www.iec.ch/cgi-bin/procgi.pl/www/iecwww.p?wwwlang=E&wwwprog=cat-det.p&progdb=db1&wartnum=035832

The standard identifies that a high voltage underground power cable is a heavily integrated system and that the components cannot be meaningfully tested in isolation from each other. This requirement means that cable manufacturers have invested considerable sums to ensure that cables and components are not only tested before dispatch, but that they are also effectively tested at each stage of installation.