Prysmian involved in the upgrade of Washington, D.C. area’s power transmission grid

Prysmian Group, world leader in the energy and telecom cable systems industry, will carry out a project aimed at upgrading the U.S. Capital area’s power transmission system. The multi-phased project is expected to be worth approximately $190 million and is currently scheduled to run between 2019 and 2026, with a $13 million agreement in place for phase one due to be performed by 2019.

Washington, D.C. hit 700,000 residents in 2018, experiencing a dramatic population growth that has caused an increasing demand for reliable electricity supply. This upgrade project will improve system reliability and reduce the risk of storm-related outages, expanding the network capacity to support the use of solar-powered energy and other customer-generated solutions, as well as the rapid residential and commercial growth in the region, thus addressing the energy needs of the area.

“As a global advocate for smart underground infrastructure, Prysmian Group is proud to enter this forward-thinking system upgrade project,” said Massimo Battaini, CEO, Prysmian Group North America. “We look forward to providing safe, reliable and affordable energy to customers and communities in the District of Columbia and Maryland, and continuing our commitment to build a more connected future.”

As a turnkey solution provider, Prysmian will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning of High Voltage underground cable systems comprising over 100 km of XLPE-insulated 230 kV cables and over 200 km of XLPE-insulated 69 kV cables, as well as related accessories and network components. The project includes an integrated monitoring system based on the Group’s proprietary and revolutionary PRY-CAM Condition Assessment and Asset Management technology to monitor all key parameters of the electrical system (Acoustic Vibration, Partial Discharge, Temperature, etc.), thus ensuring its effective and preventive management. Prysmian will also be responsible for maintenance services and systems, including sheath testing operations, manhole inspections and voltage testing activities. Cables will be manufactured at Prysmian’s state-of-the-art factory in Abbeville, South Carolina, and will be installed over an eight-year period (estimated between 2019 and 2026).

“By leveraging on the newly-combined geographical presence of Prysmian and General Cable, we are seeing promising results in the High Voltage Underground business,” stated Borjan Sehovac, High Voltage BU Vice President. “Recently, the Group has also been awarded important projects in Asia Pacific and South America, thus consolidating its market leadership,” he concluded.