OFS-SSS-406-R1 Auxiliary Cables and Wiring System
Document Reference: OFS-SSS-406-R1
Functional Specification
Auxiliary Cables and Wiring System
Revision Date Description Originator Reviewer Checker Approver
Leon Notkevich, Aidan Corcoran,
R0 21/04/2022 First Issue Vitali Garon Daniele Giustini
Neil Cowap Richard Blanchfield
Issued for
use after Daniele Giustini
R1 06/10/2022 Vitali Garon Neil Cowap Louise O'Flanagan
industry James Staunton
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All rights reserved. No part of this work may be modified or reproduced
or copied in any form or by means - graphic, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, taping or information and retrieval
system, or used for any purpose other than its designated purpose,
without the written permission of EirGrid
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OFS-SSS-406-R1 Auxiliary Cables and Wiring System
1 SCOPE 3
2 STANDARDS 3
3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 4
4 GENERAL 4
5 MATERIALS 6
6 SUPPORTS 7
7 JOINTING 7
8 CABLE DETAILS 7
9 SCREENING (APPLICABLE TO SCREENED CABLES) 9
10 FIRE RETARDATION 9
11 TESTS AND INSPECTION 9
12 PACKING AND LABELLING 9
13 INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED WITH INITIAL SUBMISSION 10
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1 SCOPE
This Functional Specification is applicable for use in offshore wind transmission links
delivered by the Customer as Contestable Works, to be owned and operated by EirGrid.
The specification relates to the Onshore Compensation Compounds (OCC) and
Offshore Substation Platforms (OSP) .
This Specification covers the supply, testing and delivery of LV multicore control cables
with copper conductors, PVC insulation, copper screen (where applicable) and PVC
sheathing as well as LV auxiliary power cables.
This specification should be read in association with the project specific contestable
works pack and project documentation and all other relevant functional specifications as
issued by EirGrid.
For the purpose of this specification the term Customer shall refer to Offshore Wind
Power Developers, Independent Power Producers responsible for the design and build
of assets to be handed over to EirGrid.
2 STANDARDS
The cable supplied under this specification shall conform to and be tested in accordance
with this specification and with the latest editions of the following standards:
IS 201:2001 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) insulated cable and flexible cords of rated
voltage up to and including 450/750V.
IEC 60189 Low frequency cables and wires with p.v.c. insulation and p.v.c. sheath.
IEC 60227 Polyvinyl chloride insulated cables of rated voltages up to and including
450/750V
IEC 60502 Extruded solid dielectric insulated power cables for rated voltages from
1kV up to 30kV.
IEC 60811 Common test methods for insulating and sheathing materials of electric
cables.
IEC 60228 Nominal cross-sectional areas and composition of conductors of
insulated cables
IEC 60331 Fire-resisting characteristics of electric cables.
IEC 60332 Tests on electric cables under fire conditions.
IEC 60885 Electrical test methods for electrical cables.
BS 6234 Specification for polyethylene insulation and sheath of electrical cables.
Where a particular subject is not covered by one of the above standards then a
recognised national or IEC standard shall apply.
In case of conflict between this specification and any of the listed standards, this
specification shall take precedence.
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In addition, there shall be compliance with the provisions of all relevant Directives of the
European Union relating to work equipment, i.e. in regard to safety of personnel who
operate and maintain equipment. In order to prove compliance, the equipment shall
carry the CE Mark in accordance with Direction 93/465/EEC.
3 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
The cables shall be suitable for indoor and outdoor use, and may be buried in the
ground, installed on cable trays / racks, laid in ducts and/or submerged in water.
The cable shall be suitable for indoor and outdoor operation at a height of 0-1000 metres
above sea level in salt-laden, damp, polluted atmosphere with heavy rain. The cable
shall be capable of operating normally within the following temperature range:
Maximum Air Temperature: +40 °C (Degrees Celsius).
Minimum Air Temperature: -25 °C (Degrees Celsius).
The cable shall be capable of operating in electrically exposed locations also where high
humidity (65% to 100% relative humidity) and dew point are commonplace.
4 GENERAL
The cables supplied under this Specification are intended for connection to Instrument
Transformers, Measuring Instruments, Control and Relaying Equipment.
Working Voltage AC 110V, 230V, 400V.
Working Voltage DC 24V, 48V, 220V.
Voltage Class Uo/U 0.6/1kV.
Cable types include screened multicore and screened/unscreened multiple twisted pair
cables.
Screened multicore cables shall be used for all outdoor circuits and for all circuits
involving voltages greater than 50V. The use of unscreened cable for any particular
application is subject to EirGrid review.
Conductor cross-section shall be rated for the relevant current-carrying capacity duty.
The Customer shall ensure that the cross-section of the wiring is adequate for the
operating current, maximum short-circuit current, duration and voltage conditions.
The screens of screened cables shall be connected to the earth grid at both ends of the
cable by the shortest practical connection.
Each multi-core/multi-pair cable shall be used for one type of duty for example, a cable
used for connections to instrument transformers shall not include connections to
switchgear operation.
Instrument transformer secondaries shall be segregated i.e. shall use dedicated cables
and where possible should be installed in dedicated trenching / trunking systems.
Each multi-core/multi-pair cable shall be used for one battery voltage only, batt1 and
batt2 cables shall be segregated in separate trunking systems
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Cable use shall also be on a switchgear bay basis where possible (dedicated to a
specific function for a specific bay). This requirement shall be reflected right through the
station including control rooms.
Cables and wires for any particular circuit shall have a dielectric test level at least
matching the minimum level of the equipment to which it is connected and rated duty at
least equal to that of the equipment to which it is connected.
Wires and cable cores of circuits with different voltage ratings shall be segregated
unless they are rated for the higher voltage rating.
AC and DC circuits shall not be carried on the same cable. Cables shall be fitted with
numbered permanent identification tags at termination points. Suitable glands shall be
used to connect cables to mechanism boxes, cabinets etc.
Typically, 25mm2 or 35mm2 PVC double insulated single core cables are used for the
connection from battery to battery charger. As above, conductor cross-section shall be
rated for the relevant current-carrying capacity duty and maximum short-circuit current,
duration.
4.1 ROUTING AND ARRANGEMENT
Cable routes shall be chosen so as to minimise the pick-up of induced voltages liable to
cause damage or interference and also to minimise the length of the circuits
The Customer to ensure that the routing and arrangement of cables shall be planned to
provide an orderly formation, free from unnecessary bends and crossings, which will
permit the removal of any one cable without undue disturbance to adjacent cables.
At least 20% spare space in cable trays, trucking, ladders, trenches, etc. shall be
provided.
Cables shall be installed so that no temporary or permanent bends are made which are
sharper than those recommended by the cable manufacture and confirmed as
acceptable by tests. There shall be no joints in LV cables laid entirely within the
substation.
Where cables entering the control building or pass from room to room within a building,
fire retardant barriers shall be provided as per fire design requirements.
4.2 LAYING OF CABLES
Cables shall not be laid directly in the ground but, shall be laid in reinforced concrete
troughs with removable covers, alternative material for the LV cable troughs can be
considered by EirGrid but needs to match the strength and resistance of the concrete.
This type of trough shall be used for cables exiting the building and running with the
station yard between it and each bay.
The type and method of removing the covers shall be agreed with EirGrid and depends
on the weight of each cover slab.
In addition to the main artery troughs, pipe ducting shall be used from the cable trough to
each item of plant within each bay.
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Cable ducts to HV plant shall be directly encased in the concrete plinth for each item of
Plant. On exiting, the duct shall be suitably located within the concrete plinth so as to
minimise the length of exposed cable to the equipment. The Customer shall ensure that
the cable is appropriately supported by means of metal cable tray along its exposed
length to ensure secure support and to prevent damage.
The pipe ducts shall be buried at a minimum depth of 600mm.
Where cables are run across roads or enter buildings the cables shall be run in concrete
encased pipes in consideration of the possible vehicle weight and mechanical stress that
could be applied to the pipes.
All pipe ducts shall be brushed clean immediately prior to installation of cables. The
Customer shall deal with and dispose of water and other extraneous materials so as to
avoid risk of damage to cables.
The pulling arrangements for cable installation shall be subject to EirGrid review.
The cable shall where necessary, be lubricated to facilitate drawing in. The lubricant
used shall have no deleterious effect on the cables or other surrounds and not harmful
for the human beings. At the point of cable entry into the pipe or duct, a bell mouth of
suitable soft material shall be provided to prevent damage to the cable during
installation.
Suitable barriers shall be provided where control cables enter the control building to
prevent ingress of vermin, animals and water, Rotex1 or similar is preferred Indoor
cables shall be run under false floors or in ducts in the floors, the ducts shall have
removable covers.
Indoor cables, which are run above floor, shall be supported by suitable metal trays or
racks. Protective covers shall be placed over trays etc. where the cables may be
exposed to damage from falling material or moving equipment.
Where cables enter a building or pass from room to room within a building fire retardant
barriers shall be provided as per fire design.
All cable routes shall be clearly marked with identification and warning labels where
appropriate.
5 MATERIALS
The conductor shall be un-tinned copper complying with IEC 60228. The insulation and
sheath shall consist of a thermoplastic material based on PVC complying with the
requirements of IEC 60502, IEC 60811 and IEC 60885.
5.1 CORROSION ACTION
1 [Link]
substations/
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Every precaution shall be taken to ensure that cables and accessories are not installed
in a manner or under conditions likely to cause electrolytic or other corrosive action or
damage to or be detrimental to the performance of the cables during operation.
6 SUPPORTS
The Customer shall supply and install all the supports, racks, trays, cleats, saddles, clips
and other parts required to carry and secure the cleats without risk of damage, in a neat
and orderly manner.
Support structures for cables shall be free from rough edges and sharp corners. If such
support structures are of mild steel, they shall be Hot-dip galvanised.
Cable connections to kiosks, boxes, cabinets etc. shall be at least 300mm over ground.
Vertical portions of cable runs shall be supported by clamps, saddles on ladder racking
or in conduit or trunking. All cables shall be securely supported at a point not more than
1.0m from their terminations.
7 JOINTING
Jointing of the conductors shall only be acceptable where the electrical and mechanical
characteristic of the joint matches those of the conductors (e.g. fusion process). Spliced
soldered joints are not acceptable.
8 CABLE DETAILS
8.1 SIZES
For the control and auxiliary power cables, the cable sizes shall be as follows
1. 4 x 1.5mm²
2. 7 x 1.5 mm²
3. 12 x 1.5 mm²
4. 19 x 1.5mm²
5. 4 x 2.5mm²
6. 4 x 10mm²
7. 4 x 6mm²
8. 4 x 4mm².
Any cables with core size of 1.5mm² shall be single stranded; those cables with core
size greater than 1.5mm², i.e. 10mm², 6mm² and 4mm² shall have between 4 and 7
strands.
AC power cables should be sized according to the latest edition of IS 10101.
IS 10101:2020 replaced ET 101:2008 on the 6th March 2020
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8.2 PVC COLOUR
The core insulation for multi-core control cable shall be yellow. The sheath colour shall
be black.
Other colours can be used subject to EirGrid review and approval.
8.3 CORE IDENTIFICATION
Core identification of control cables shall be by numbers. The numbering, which shall be
both in figures and words, shall be printed clearly and permanently on the insulation of
each core at intervals of not more than 50mm. The figures and lettering shall not rub off
under conditions of normal handling.
The preference is to use the bay number in the cable identifier.
Figures should be a minimum of 3mm high, and the colour preference is black on yellow
insulation. Cores shall be numbered as follows:
• 4 Core cable - Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4.
• 7 Core cable - Centre core, No. 1. 6 cores around centre, Nos. 2 to 7.
• 12 Core cable - Centre 3 cores, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. 9 cores around centre, Nos. 4 to
12.
• 19 Core cable - Centre core, No. 1.6 cores around centre, Nos. 2 to 7. 12 outer
cores, No. 8 to 19
Core Identification for multiple twisted pair cable may be carried out by means of a
recognised colour coding system as referenced in EN 60446.
Colour coding of LV power cable cores shall be compliant to IEC standards.
8.4 CABLE MARKING
The cable sheath shall be clearly embossed with raised lettering of height not less than
20% of the overall diameter of the cable. Embossing shall be at intervals of not more
than one metre with the following data:
Electric Cable, 600/1000 Volts, size designation e.g. NYCY (NYCWY) 4 x 6mm²,
manufacturers name (or trademark), year of manufacture.
In addition, the cable outer sheath shall be sequentially marked in metres so that when a
length of cable is removed from the drum/coil, the remaining length can be easily
determined.
Each cable shall be marked from zero up to the specified drum/coil length.
8.5 LAYING UP AND COMMON CORE COVERING
A layer of thermoplastic material shall be extruded over the laid-up cores and under the
sheath. The filler shall be resilient, homogeneous, preferably of a different colour to
sheath and core insulation and must not adhere to the core. Alternatively, a rubber-
based material or a wrapping of fabric or plastic tapes may be substituted for the
extruded common covering.
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9 SCREENING (APPLICABLE TO SCREENED CABLES)
The cables shall have a copper screen over the common core covering. The cable
screen in all cases shall consist of two layers, an inner layer of plain annealed copper
wires and an outer layer of copper tape laid on helically with an overlap of 20%. The
cross-sectional area of the inner layer of the screen (plain annealed copper wires) shall
be as follows:
Table 1 - Control Cable Cross Sectional Area
No. of Cores Screen Cross-Sectional Area
Under 12 equivalent to core cross-section
12 and under 19 not less than 2.5mm²
19 and over not less than 4mm²
10 FIRE RETARDATION
In addition to the requirements of the individual IEC Publications for each cable type with
regard to fire retardation, all cables shall satisfy the requirements of IEC 60331 and IEC
60332.
Fire resistant cables shall be used for services that are critical and need to remain in
operation during fire (for example fire detection and protection).
11 TESTS AND INSPECTION
All type tests and routine tests on each type and size of cable shall be carried out in the
factory in accordance with applicable standards as listed in this Specification.
Before dispatch each drum of cable shall be routine tested in accordance with IEC
Publications. EirGrid may choose random sample lengths of any or each size/type of
cable and instruct the Customer to submit a full set of type test reports.
The Customer shall in all cases send to EirGrid for review soft copies of the routine test
certificates, covering each drum of cable offered for acceptance.
Details of the proposed routine testing shall be included with the tender. Before carrying
out routine tests on any consignment of cable, the Customer must give sufficient notice
to EirGrid for inspection and to witness tests being carried out.
12 PACKING AND LABELLING
Cable drums and the outer transport covering shall be of adequate strength to protect
the cable from damage during transport and storage on site. The surface and rims of the
drums shall be smooth and free of any protruding edges to prevent damage to the cable.
The ends shall be sealed securely against the ingress of moisture and water.
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13 INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED WITH INITIAL SUBMISSION
13.1 TO BE SUBMITTED AS PART OF DESIGN REVIEW:
1 Fully completed copy of the technical schedules.
2 Detailed dimensional drawing of each type of cable.
3 Details including Certificate of Type Tests carried out on each type of cable.
4 Detailed report covering all routine testing carried out on each type of cable.
5 "Schedule of Deviations from Specification". Information in specific terms of any
parameter(s) specified herein, which the scheme offered does not meet, quoting
the relevant clause number(s) of this specification.
6 Details of manufacturer's Quality Assurance Policy/Programme/ Certification
shall be submitted.
7 Layout and detail drawing of cable trays.
8 Drawings showing details of cable terminations including supports, terminals,
glands, earthing screened cables etc.
9 Complete cable schedule giving cable type, size, locations and labelling system
10 A cable routing layout/elevation drawings showing all cable runs with numbers
of cables on cables trays etc.
13.2 TO BE SUBMITTED BEFORE STATION HANDOVER
Before the substation is handed over to EirGrid, the Customer shall submit drawings and
information giving details of the following
1 Final records of routes
2 Details of terminations
3 Records of all testing carried out
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