WCA May 2009

news

❍ The all aluminium alloy conductor supplied by Nexans

Conductors to Brazil Nexans has been awarded a €26 million contract by EBTE, the Alupar company responsible for the construction and development of the electric power infrastructure in the Brazil state of Mato Grosso, to supply AAAC (all aluminium alloy conductor) for the construction of five new 230kV overhead transmission lines with a total length of 775km. Grosso’s economic development as well as increasing Brazil’s national power generation capacity. AAAC overhead conductors replace the steel core and pure aluminium outer layers found in conventional ACSR (aluminium conductor steel reinforced) conductors with aluminium alloys. Each overhead transmission line will comprise three phases, so Nexans will supply a total length of around 2,350km of conventional round wire AAAC with a cross-section of 456mm 2 . The conductors, which will be manu- factured at Nexans’ Lorena plant in Brazil, are scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2009, while EBTE plans to begin operation in the second half of 2010.

This conductor is both lighter and stronger than ACSR, making it ideal for long spans, as well as being more resistant to corrosion. Using AAAC will enable EBTE to reduce the total number of pylons required for the project by around 8%.

The project (ANEEL 04/2008 group D) will provide additional transmission capacity to handle the output of a number of new power generation projects that will contribute to Mato

Nexans – France Fax : +33 15669 8484 Email : nexans.web@nexans.com Website : www.nexans.com

...and fibre optic cable for the Caribbean

Systems Ltd and Huawei Marine Networks, a Chinese manufacturer of telecom accessories. “The latest repeatered optical cable is a major technological breakthrough that will enable us to deliver cables for any optical transmission range,” says Yvon Raak, Nexans’ chief corporate officer in charge of the Europe area.

The 1,300km cable will be produced at Nexans’ factory in Rognan, Norway and comprise 21 segments with amplifiers integrated every 70km. It will be delivered to Global Marine Systems in October 2009. Behind this next generation of repeatered fibre optic submarine systems are Nexans, Global Marine

Nexans has been awarded a contract by Global Marine Systems, provider of submarine cable installations, to supply 1,300km of repeatered fibre optic submarine cable to connect the islands of Trinidad & Tobago to Suriname via Guyana. The cable system will help enhance communication links between the three countries.

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2009