Hanson Concrete

Case study
Powercrete is used on Hornsea Project One, the world’s
first offshore windfarm to exceed one gigawatt in capacity.
Hanson UK supplied Powercrete to Hornsea Project “ It’s vital that as much of the wind turbine
One, the world’s first gigawatt offshore windfarm generated electricity as possible is delivered
located off the Lincolnshire coast in the north of
to the National Grid. Powercrete was chosen
England. On completion in 2020, Hornsea’s 240
wind turbines, covering 407 square kilometres of for Hornsea Project One to solve capacity
the North Sea, will be the world’s largest offshore loss associated with increased resistance
windfarm and provide low carbon power to over due to overheating in underground cables.
one million homes.
Using Powercrete allows you to increase
Ensuring the safe and effective transmission of
power capacity, reduce conductor cross-
wind turbine generated electricity is a key part of the
project’s delivery. Powercrete, with its high thermal sectioning or switch to aluminium conductors.
conductivity, is ideal for use in the construction of
It serves to reduce magnetic field strength
the new onshore substation − where the electricity
generated offshore will be transmitted to the
for alternating current and mitigate hotspots.
National Grid. Powercrete allows us to maximise the
harvesting of natural energies, increase
Over 2000 cubic metres of Powercrete has
been specified as a bedding and infill material power capacity and provide a sustainable,
for underground cables, providing a complete long-lasting solution.”
heat-conducting solution with the same ease
Jasen Gauld, concrete technical sales manager, Hanson UK
of placement as normally delivered concrete.

Powercrete®
and CableCem®
Bedding and infill materials for
underground high-voltage cables

Hanson UK
14 Castle Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 4JJ
T: 01628 774 100 E: enquiries@hanson.com @Hanson_UK hanson.co.uk
High Voltage (HV) and Ultra High Voltage (UHV) cables are increasingly
being run underground, particularly in urban areas and where the visual
impact of overhead cables and pylons affects sensitive landscapes
and habitats. Running these cables underground generates heat and
requires robust insulation to withstand the very high voltage.
As the cable temperature increases, so does the resistance, resulting
in capacity loss. This can be improved by using bedding and infill
materials like Powercrete and CableCem. They dissipate the heat
generated, preventing the underground cables from overheating.

Powercrete® CableCem®
Powercrete is a robust, high-performance, heat-conducting concrete, used as CableCem is a heat-conducting grout developed as an infill material for jacket
a bedding and infill material for underground HV and UHV cabling. The special tube systems. It has excellent free-flowing properties and is well-suited for
material properties of Powercrete result in low heat transmission resistance. infilling the residual annular space between the cable and the jacket tube.

For more power in the cable Lower thermal resistance with CableCem
Given this low thermal resistance, the heat  he low thermal resistance of CableCem ensures
T
being generated is dissipated effectively and the excellent heat dissipation, reducing capacity loss
conductor temperature is reduced. As a result, in the cable line and permanently increasing the
the power capability of the cable run is increased. power capability of the cable run.
 he consistency of Powercrete can be adjusted.
T CableCem is offered in a number of options
For example, a free-flowing consistency is ideal with a range of thermal resistances.
for embedding and encapsulating ducts and
cables and is easy to place, finish and compact. Benefits of CableCem:
• Excellent free-flowing properties
Benefits of Powercrete:
• Improved heat dissipation for HV and UHV cables
• Improved heat dissipation for HV and UHV cables
• Reduction in magnetic field strength for
• High heat conduction after drying alternating current
Powercrete is used in the open ditch CableCem in the cable jacket tube system
• Reduction in magnetic field strength for • Increased power capacity
alternating current
• Reduction of conductor cross-section
• Increased power capacity
• Switch to aluminium conductors possible
• Reduction of conductor cross-section
• Mitigation of “hot-spots”
• Switch to aluminium conductors possible
• Mitigation of “hot-spots” Professional preparation of the construction site and
the correct placement of the grout is required in
order the ensure the performance of CableCem.

A Powercrete application A CableCem application