TR-XLPE Gains Acceptance with China Utilities

After Beijing and Shanghai, the two major metropolitan areas in China, both secured grants for hosting internationally recognized events -- the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2010 World’s Fair respectively -- the government and utilities started to consider the importance of electrical supply reliability. Their target is 99.99%, reflecting an annual power outage time of less than one hour per an entire city. Further motivated by the incidents of power blackouts in the U.S., Canada and Russia, and the continuous improvement of living standards throughout the country, utilities in China are now very focused on improving service reliability.

China’s cable manufacturing industry and cable research engineers are committed to understanding the increasing importance and value of tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) products and technology used in medium voltage (MV) distribution power cable systems.

The excellent field-performance attributes and extended service-life data obtained with the TR-XLPE cables that have long been working underground in North America, provides very convincing and encouraging evidence about the benefits of the technology. First launched in the early 1980s, TR-XLPE from Dow Wire & Cable is a proprietary insulation technology that reduces electrical degradation such as water treeing in wet conditions. This breakthrough technology has been utilized and appreciated by utilities in North America as well as in Europe since the late 1980s.Beyond these materials, our market-facing business model means that we are structured to deliver world-class technical support for end users and manufacturers, extending from expertise in material formulation all the way through to cable installation. Our ultimate goal in all of this is to create mutual value for end users and manufacturers that will sustain the wire and cable industry for years to come.

Graph: Current USA Practice - 60 of Largest IOUs Surveyed - 2003

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