Prysmian launches P-Laser, the first eco-sustainable high-performance cable for electrical grids

Made with material that is recyclable, P-Laser makes possible to develop more eco-friendly higher capacity grids
First Utility to adopt it was ENEL in Italy. In 2011 it will be offered to other European Utilities

Prysmian, a leading global player in the energy and telecommunications cables and systems industry, is ready for the international launch of P-Laser, the first high-performance eco-sustainable Medium Voltage cable for electrical grids. Made with raw materials that are recyclable, P-Laser helps to reduce the environmental impact of electrical grids while increasing their efficiency and transmission capacity.

P-Laser has already received IMQ certification in Italy and has also been approved and adopted by Italian utilities. After an intensive innovation process and relative product and process industrialization, Prysmian won with P-Laser a contract to supply Enel with 1,200 km in medium voltage tripolar power cable over a two year period. Having successfully developed and introduced the new technology in Italy, Prysmian is ready to propose it to other major European utilities in 2011, starting with Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain.

“Prysmian's aim with P-Laser is to partner Utilities engaged in upgrading and developing their electrical grids while seeking to reduce the environmental impact of such grids – explains Fabio Romeo, Chief Commercial Officer . High-performance lower-impact grids with wider territorial coverage allow resources to be used more efficiently, particularly from renewable sources. Prysmian is involved in the major new transmission grid projects and in the cabling of large wind and solar farms and has joined two crucial initiatives for achieving energy policy targets in Europe: the Friends of the Supergrid to promote the building of a supergrid in Northern Europe and the Transgreen project to carry solar power under the Mediterranean from North Africa to Europe".

Developed by Prysmian's R&D Headquarters in Italy, P-Laser technology is eco-sustainable. The HPTE insulating system of P-Laser cables uses thermoplastic materials unlike traditional XLPE cables with cross-linked polyethylene insulation. The metal used for the conductor and the outer cable screens under the protective sheath is also recyclable, making the cable 100% eco-friendly.

From the efficiency point of view, P-Laser technology allows grid operators to work at temperatures above the typical 90°C as usual with XLPE traditional technology. This higher thermal performance allows them to increase the power transmission for the same conductor section, or a longer cable life at the same temperature, but above all it allows higher capability. This is particularly important in the event of emergencies, grid congestion and "N-1" conditions (disconnection because of malfunction or maintenance of an adjacent line).

The new technology created by Prysmian is a world first, it allows a lower-impact, and a safer production process than the traditional XLPE one, since the cable can be made on a unique, continuous production line, thereby reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. P-Laser not only guarantees better performance and reliability with the same ease of handling as traditional XLPE cables, but it is also designed on a modular basis, making it easier to satisfy customer requirements in different countries, and is entirely compatible with the existing cable and accessories.

Related information
Press Release
P-Laser Catalogue
P-Laser Video