Advanced solution for on-site diagnosis of distribution power cables

This paper describes important aspects of partial discharge (PD) diagnostics of distribution power cables. PD parameter were discussed under consideration of attenuation and dispersive effects of cable characteristics. Field experiences with PD diagnosis on paper insulated cables (PILC) and cables with cross linked polyethylen insulation (XLPE) by energizing with damped AC voltage demonstrate relevant demands and the effective outcome for asset management decision support. The main difficulty is to evaluate the risc of PD occurrences on the reliability of the cable system. If an sufficient amount of PD diagnostic data for the cable components is available statistical methods can be used for determining threshold levels and relevant condition indexes for the asset management.