CABLES & CONNECTORS FEATURE


TRANSFORMERS ROLLED OUT FOR SUBSEA ELECTRICITY PROJECT


A major milestone in the North Sea Link Interconnector project has been reached with the delivery of seven new electrical transformers from the Port of Blyth to the Converter Station site at Cambois in Northumberland


T


he €2bn Interconnector project is a partnership between National


Grid and Statnett to connect the electricity transmission systems between the UK and Norway through 720km of subsea cables. The pioneering project makes Cambois


home to what will be the world’s longest subsea electricity cable, enabling both countries to trade power and helping to ensure safe, secure and affordable energy supplies. The transformers, weighing


approximately 220 tonnes each, were manufactured in Sweden by ABB Transformers Ludvika and shipped 1,500 miles to Blyth.


The transformers are sophisticated


electrical equipment that plays a crucial role in the renewable energy sharing project. Each one changes the voltage


of electricity by converting the alternating current from one voltage to another so that electricity can be delivered to customers on both sides of the North Sea. Due to the size and weight of the


transformers, specialist transportation was used to complete the final leg of their journey. Mike James, site manager at North Sea


Link in Cambois, says, “Transporting electrical equipment of this size and


scale requires months of advanced planning and consideration. The oversized load set off from Sweden by rail and arrived at the Port of Blyth at the end of last year where they’ve remained in storage whilst work progressed on site. “Their arrival at Cambois is a big


milestone for the project and the transformers will play a huge role in transporting clean, green renewable energy between the UK and Norway, allowing the UK to bring in enough clean energy to power up to 1.4 million homes from 2021.”


North Sea Link northsealink.com


Tackling flat cable stripping with ease


Ideal Industries has launched a Twin & Earth cable stripper, which has been designed to make stripping of insulated flat cables faster and more consistent, with no risk of nicking the wire


E


ngineered and manufactured in Germany, the robust, ergonomic tool


has been designed specifically for use with twin and earth cables. The self-adjusting blades offer an unlimited stripping range for fast and accurate removal of the insulation. Capable of removing the outer sheath in one swift operation, then stripping the inner cores with a second action, the tool is said to speed up


installations without compromising on quality and consistency. General manager of Ideal Industries


EMEA, Brett Smyth, explains: “The Ideal Twin & Earth Stripper makes the often onerous job of accurately removing the slug quick and easy, avoiding the potential for mistakes and speeding up installations while enhancing quality and reducing the risk of snagging.”


The ergonomic design makes the Ideal


Twin & Earth Stripper easy and comfortable to use with minimal pressure required to complete a clean cut for any flat cables between 0.75 and 2.5mm2


and up to 12mm


wide. Users simply insert the required length of cable into the tool and squeeze the handles together. The open-throat design allows an unlimited strip length for both the outer sheath and the inner wire sheathing. The tool’s specially hardened and tempered steel blades ensure an accurate cut and an extended service life, making it an excellent investment. Smyth adds: “We’re constantly on the


look out for innovation that makes life easier for electricians on site and this tool saves time and avoids mistakes, which can help reduce costs and ensure jobs are completed on time. The way electricians strip the slug from insulated flat cables hasn’t changed for decades but we believe this tool could be a game changer.”


Ideal Industries  idealindustries.com ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | APRIL 2020 11


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