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Application of T-Joints in high voltage underground cables installations

F. W. Seybold* L. A. Medaglia* I. M. Ruiz*

*Edenor
*Argentina

SUMMARY

The present technical document describes our experience using T-Joints for Underground High
Voltage Cable Systems applications.
Due to the grid expansion, it was necessary to carry out HV linking projects and substations
expansions. As these were unplanned at the moment of their construction, the installations lacked the
physical space required to install new traditional equipment. This issue led us to think using T-Joints
as a Termination with 2 cable inputs.
As of today, this type of equipment has been used on three opportunities in Edenor’s concession area,
one of them in 220kV and the other two in 132kV, the latter being the ones described in the present
paper.
Additionally, they were also used during VLF testing of 132kV and 220kV underground cables.

KEYWORDS

“T-Joint” “Underground cable” “Terminations” “Plug-in/Plug-out connectors” “VLF tests” “GIS”

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1. INTRODUCTION
As a result of the constant demand growth and the difficulties of installing new substations due to
environmental issues, it was necessary to increase the power ratings and reliability of the existing
facilities. The present paper describes the experience during the construction of the new links between
substations, implementing the expansions in reduced physical spaces.

2. T-JOINT APPLICATION
The T-Joint Plug-in/Plug-out system is a technological design currently available in the market,
capable of offering a safe electrical connection. Its versatility allows its use as a normal joint,
derivation joint and as Termination for two HV XLPE cables.
The T-Joint consists of a metallic stainless steel cylinder with flanges on its top and bottom, where
female plugs for connections are installed. These plugs are built in epoxy, specially designed to house
the electrical contact of the cable male plug connector.
The insulating medium used in this system is SF6 gas, capable of being remotely monitored thanks to
a density monitor and signal generator installed with it, while also having a manometer for local
readings.
Using it as a 2 HV parallel cables Termination, it can be mounted on substations with reduced
available space as it doesn’t require large structures for its installation. Using it as a Termination, it’s
possible to plug two XLPE cables to the T-Joint through its bottom connectors and have an outdoor
silicon adapter/insulator (fitted to be linked to an overhead conductor) plugged on its top through a
Plug-in/Plug-out connector. It’s also possible to make a connection with the system using a plug-
in/plug-out connector for XLPE cables, identical to those used on its bottom connectors. Figure 1
shows the side view and perspective of the T-Joint for voltages of up to 245kV.

Figure 1. T-Joint for 220 kV Plug-in/Plug-out connectors

Figure 2 shows the female plug, part of the T- joint, and the male connector that is mounted over the
cable’s end for voltages up to 245kV. These are the so called Plug-in/Plug-out connectors, which have
the advantage of being pluggable, allowing its disconnection without dismantling the entire
Termination.

Figure 2. Female and male 132 kV Plug-in/Plug-out Connectors

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3. STUDY CASES

3.1 S.E. La Reja

The link between Zappalorto and La Reja substations, built during 2006-2007, is made of stretches of
single and double circuit overhead lines, then linked to an underground XLPE cable circuit (500mm2
Copper single core conductors) through two single circuit Transition Structures. The overhead line
stretch enters Zappalorto substation while the cable stretch enters La Reja substation. It’s worth
mentioning that previous to the construction of this link, an existing one already linked La Reja and
Malvinas substations using underground XLPE cables. Figure 3 shows the route of these links.

Figure 3. Malvinas – La Reja – Zappalorto links route.

Figure 4 shows the original floor plan and cross section of La Reja substation with the location of the
Terminations for the link between Malvinas and La Reja substations, the cable laying and the
incoming overhead line from Moron substation. No existing switching equipment between cable and
overhead lines was present at the moment.

Figure 4. Floor plan of La Reja substation showing the original situation

Figure 5. Cross section of La Reja substation showing the original situation

The connection of the two 132kV circuits coming from Zappalorto meant the addition of two
additional set of Terminations to the field. Due to the little space available, these Terminations would

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have been located only 1,5m apart from the existing ones, an inconvenient distance from an
operational and mounting perspective. Simultaneously, the fence needed to be relocated in order to
gain some space for the substation. Nevertheless, neither of these inconveniences proved to be an
insuperable obstacle in the use of conventional terminations.
What prevented using this solution was the requirement of installing two additional units to provide
switching capabilities between the underground cable and overhead line. This was the moment when
the T-Joint was considered as a possible solution. Figures 6 and 7 show the floor plan and cross
section of the substation fields where the T-Joints were installed. They also illustrate the required SF6
switching units between the overhead and underground lines.

Figure 6. T-Joint installed in La Reja substation (floor plan).

Figure 7. T-Joint installed in La Reja substation (cross section).

Figure 8 shows the T-Joints installed in La Reja with the circuits coming from Zappalorto plugged to
it. On the right side of the picture it’s possible to observe the original Terminations, which would be
later dismounted during the moving of the cables and their connections through plug-in/plug-out
connectors to the T-Joint.
Despite managing to reduce the required space, using this kind of equipment increases the
unavailability time during connection and disconnection procedures in comparison to using two
ordinary Terminations. Nevertheless, disconnection maneuvers are unusual.

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 Figure 8. T-Joint in La Reja substation, with the circuit from S.E. Zappalorto connected.

3.2. Luzuriaga Substation

At Luzuriaga substation, the T-Joint was used as a temporary solution. During 2007 a single circuit of
underground cable (single core, 500mm2 Cu conductor) between Casanova and Ramos Mejía
substations was installed. At the same time the idea of a new substation, to be located near the route of
the previously mentioned link so it could be powered by it, developed into the construction of the
Luzuriaga substation. Powering this new substation required a 500m detour from the original route.

S.E. R. Mejia S.E. Casanova

O
NT
IE
RM
SA
EX
CC

La Matanza
FF
FFC
C E
X S
ARM
IEN

S.E. LUZURIAGA
Moron
TO

Figure 9. Route of the 1x2x132kV link between Casanova – Ramos Mejia substations, with the
derivation to Luzuriaga.

At first, and thought as a temporary stage, only a transformer and a single entry field were mounted,
without any bus system whatsoever. Figure 10 shows the two circuits entering the temporary placed T-
Joint, where the final disposition is shown in a different color.

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 C.S. a S.E. Casanova
Final disposition of the circuits

API

C.S. a S.E. Ramos Mejia

UNIDAD MODULAR TRANSPORTABLE

1,20
6.30

CELDA CAB LE

D11
CE LDA CA BLE

D12
CELDA CAB LE

D13
CELDA CAB LE

D14
CE LDA CA B LE

M EDI CION
S I D81

D0 1
LLE GA DA
CE LDA

D10
CONV ERS ORE S
48 /20 0VCC
Figure 10. Temporary connection scheme of the circuits at Luzuriaga substation.

It was imperative to use the minimum space possible for the temporary stage due to the limited space
available for the construction of the entire substation and the placement of the definitive equipment.
The use of the T-Joint allowed the circuits to be moved to their final location without mounting new
sets of terminations, taking advantage of the reutilization of Plug-in/Plug-out connectors. By simply
unplugging the Plug-in/Plug-out connectors from the T-Joints, they were free to be plugged into the
GIS (part of the permanent equipment of the substation). In an intermediate stage, the temporary
transformer was left with only one cable circuit plugged to the T-Joint feeding it, while the other
circuit, plugged to the GIS fed another transformer as the final disposition required.

3.3. Colegiales Substation

The prototype was later implemented in 220kV for the link between Puerto Nuevo, Colegiales and
Malaver substations. This work was executed in two stages, the first being the stretch between Puerto
Nuevo and Colegiales during 2007-2008 and the second, the one between Colegiales and Malaver
during 2009-2011. This cable feeds 300MVA from Puerto Nuevo combined cycle, located on the
shore of Capital Federal port, into the GBA.

0 1000 2000
AV, DR. R
. BALBIN

Figure 11. Route of the link between Puerto Nuevo-Colegiales-Malaver substations.

Except for Malaver, which already accounted for a basic 220kV configuration, none of the other
substations had a 220kV field. Colegiales had very little available space to install one, so the use of T-
Joints was necessary. Contrary to La Reja, this substation had no existing circuits which led the cable
terminations to be made with a Plug-in/Plug-out connector and then plugged to the T-Joint -
Termination set. The other important difference laid in the absence of a 220kV bushing design to be
mounted on top of the T-Joint. We opted for using a short stretch of cable with a Plug-in/Plug-out
connector attached to one end and a conventional termination to the other. Figure 12 shows the T-Joint

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connected to a conventional 132kV termination during the provisory building stage of the link
between Puerto Nuevo and Colegiales, at a time when the 220kV fields where not finished yet.
Figure 13 shows the final situation where the cables from Malaver y Puerto Nuevo were already
connected, as well as the 220kV cable and termination set over the T-Joint.

Figure 12 and 13. T-Joint in Colegiales substation.

3.4. Costanera Substation

Another 220kV circuit linking Costanera and Malaver was built, in addition to the one described in the
previous section, transmitting another 300MVA from Costanera combined cycle.

OS
AV, SAN MARTIN UNID
OS
T AD
ES
0 1000 2000

Figure 14. Route of the link between Puerto Nuevo-Colegiales-Malaver substations.

The terminations of this circuit in Costanera are also Plug-in/Plug-out connectors plugged to a GIS
with one cable input and three bus outputs. The terminations on the other end are conventional and
linked directly to the buses. The GIS one-line diagram is as follows:

CABLE N° 054
COSTANERA -
MALAVER

Figure 15. One-line diagram of the GIS at Costanera substation.

The problem arose when the VLF voltage test had to be done on circuit N°054. The GIS manufacturer
refused to avail testing with the circuit plugged in, as the risk of gas ionization was present. On the
other hand, it wasn’t possible to test the circuit without connecting it, as the Plug-in/Plug-out

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termination reduces the electrical distance through air, making impossible to apply a 192kV test
voltage between the conductor and earth.
The solution involved plugin in the Plug-in/Plug-out connector to a T-Joint during the test, with the
second input and the output sealed thus using its tank as an insulator medium. The test diagram was as
follows:

Figure 16. Test arrangement for the circuit Costanera-Malaver.

After testing a phase, this was connected to the GIS in its definitive position. Figure 17 shows the
entrance of the circuit N°054 to the GIS and the T-Joint mounted at its side, ready for the connections
to be made. Figure 18 shows one phase already connected to the GIS and another being prepared to be
plugged to the T-Joint.

Figure 17 y 18. T-Joint phase connection sequence at Costanera Substation.

6. CONCLUSION
The T-Joint use as a termination has managed to provide effective solutions when needing system
reliability in reduced spaces, both in temporary and permanent basis. The decrease in required space
and unavailability times during installation leads to consider this adaptation of the T-Joint as useful
equipment for future modifications (and even in new installations). Currently, free terrains for new
substations are very scarce, especially in highly populated areas, which lead to maximize the available
space. On top of this, the expansion and repowering of existing substations is a process meant to
continue.
As main disadvantage, the unavailability time during connection and disconnection tasks is longer
when compared against the one of conventional terminations. Also, it requires larger civil works in the
substation to execute the laying of the cables, due to the needed curvature to enter the T-Joint.
Their use in public areas is being analyzed, both using it as a T-Joint and also its development as Plug-
in/Plug-out terminations fitted for OF Cables. This would allow branching to new substations from
existing links, without using two transition joints trenches, just building a single circuit to the new
facility.