The first lightweight covered conductor has been supplied to New South Wales for the regional Distribution Network Service Provider (DNSP), Ausgrid.

The installation, carried out by the Swedish specialist cable producer Amokabel, is part of a trial on an 11kV line in the Sydney suburb of St Ives which aims to test the performance of the resilient covered conductor.

“Our first installation of the new CCSX covered conductor system went well, installed quickly with no problems experienced and positive feedback from our field crews,” Ausgrid Transmission Engineering senior engineer Rob Bradley says.

“We really appreciated Groundline/Amokabel’s assistance with field crew training and also practical support and guidance during the installation works.”

The technology consists of conductive wire surrounded by an insulating jacket made of advanced lightweight insulation materials that improve reliability and add minimal weight. This means that it can be restrung on existing poles to save the DNSP, and therefore the consumer, the cost of replacing infrastructure.

Ausgrid’s goal for the trial is to compare this new technology with its existing methods. The lightweight covered conductor is far more resilient than bare wire and significantly easier to install than older covered conductor technologies. It is highly resistant to dropped tree branches, a common cause of outages. The technology is also safer for people and wildlife.

In addition, the lightweight covered conductor can also help to reduce the risk of bushfire by 98.8% compared with bare wire. This is because, unlike bare wire, an overhead line using a covered conductor doesn’t produce sparks when it contacts dry foliage or other objects.

“Ausgrid is leading the way in improving network resilience and reliability for power consumers in New South Wales, providing an example for other DNSPs,” Amokabel Australia managing director Steve Rutland says.

“Covered conductor offers a range of benefits in terms of resilience, reliability and safety, making it a clear choice for widespread deployment, especially with the effects of climate change having an increasing effect on our networks.”

If the 11kV trial line is successful, Ausgrid will consider deploying a higher-rated version of the covered conductor for 33kV lines.