COOK STRAIT CABLE FAULT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 1

COOK STRAIT CABLE FAULT

Gas Leak In Joint Box

(From Out Own Reporter’

WELLINGTON. Oct. 26. A further fault has developed in the third Cook Strait power cable, the spare cable.

The cable, which twisted during its original laying, failed voltage tests and caused a five-mouth delay for repairs, is now leaking gas.

The latest fault, originally detected some six weeks ago is in a concrete joint box at the water’s edge in Oteranga Bay, North Island terminal for the submarine link, according to Mr P. W. Blakeley, chief engineer to the Electricity Department.

He said tonight that since only the spare was affected there had been no interference to normal power transmission through the two “live” cables. The fault found was at the connexion between the undersea cable and the different type of cable which leads up the beach and thence to overhead transmission lines.

Cylinders of gas stored In a special “gas house” nearby were being used to replace gas losses and maintain normal pressure of 4251 b to the

square inch in the undersea link.

This pressure—about 501 b to the square inch higher than sea pressure on the route at its deepest point of some 850 ft —is what would prevent water entering the cable should its outer covering rupture on the floor of the strait.

“If necessary,” said Mr I Blakeley, “the spare cable [could still be used at present in the unlikely case of one of the other two failing." Permanent repairs to the fault are still under consideration. The manufacturer, supplier and layer of the cables, British Insulated Callenders’ Cables, Ltd.. guaranteed the cables and their performance for three years from completion of the original contract earlier this year The firm has already sent an expert out from Britain to inspect the fault. A team of jointers is expected to arrive to make I permanent repairs soon