Land Systems

STORIES

The best on land, the best for the land

Meeting energy transition goals for companies and countries will call for ever-more sophisticated cable technologies needed to transport renewable energy from sites where it is generated to cities and factories where it is consumed. Underground cable systems are a key part in the backbone of the advanced power grids necessary to achieve the energy transition. To achieve the energy transition, Prysmian is developing a new generation of sustainable, high voltage underground cables.

Innovation in Land Cables

Prysmian is constantly pushing the boundaries to design and produce high and extra high voltage underground cables that can transmit more power and be more sustainable. We have developed new cable systems designed at a higher voltage level and with large conductor cross-sections, thereby providing optimal technical solutions for long-distance high-power transmission with minimized land use. Our ±525 kV HVDC cables can transport more energy than their predecessors, thus requiring less civil works to install the system, increasing also the overall project efficiency while reducing the impact on local communities.

Advanced 525 kV cable technology

525 kV extruded land cable systems are qualified with two different insulation materials:

P-Laser

High transmittable power, help avoiding hotspot issues along the route, easier to switch to aluminum conductors
Lower environmental impact and carbon footprint
Insulation and accessories tested up to 600 kV DC
Underground cable systems fully qualified up to 525 kV in accordance with CIGRE Technical Brochure 852
Full compatibility with existing HVDC cable accessories
P-laser cables in construction phase for >1000 km 320 kV and 525 kV HVDC projects
Higher operating temperatures up to 90°C
Higher electrical strength, capable to better withstand polarity reversals and transient overvoltages
Reduction of CO2 emissions by up to 30% and 100% eco-friendly and fully recyclable materials*

XLPE

High transmission power, longer transmission lengths with lower system losses
Insulation and accessories tested up to 600 kV DC
Underground and submarine cable systems fully qualified up to 525 kV in accordance with CIGRE Technical Brochure 852
Using the technological platform used for XLPE AC and DC cables
Further optimization of 320 kV voltage class
Higher operating temperatures than classic paper cables
Higher electrical strength than state-of-the-art 320 kV extruded systems
Very low electrical conductivity and high thermal stability

Benefits of underground cables compared to overhead lines

Underground cables are more eco-friendly and safer because they can’t be affected by adverse weather like snowstorms or hurricanes, which are becoming increasingly common. For inhabitants, they do not disrupt their views and preserve the landscape. Agriculture and farming on top of the trench, once the installation is completed, is not disturbed. Last, for our customers, the cables are better-protected, therefore require lower maintenance because they are less exposed.

Turnkey approach

We aim to meet and exceed our customers’ requirements with competitive and reliable solutions for underground systems, however demanding the environment. The need to have respect for, and adapt to, the world around us is a fundamental feature of our work. Our market dominance extends to all phases of power circuits development, including engineering, design, production, installation and maintenance that covers the asset’s entire lifetime and provides customers with the benefits of a lower cost. Customers can rely on us for the complete range of products and services required for all high voltage and extra-high-voltage cable systems.

From Design to Maintenance: Prysmian’s Full-Service Approach

Prysmian brings decades of experience across projects of all sizes and complexity — including industry-first achievements like the Italy–France and Eleclink interconnectors. These were made possible thanks to the deep technical expertise we’ve built over time, both in design and installation. Secondly, we act as a full system provider: we take care of the entire cable system — from design to accessories, installation, and logistics — in a fully integrated and efficient way. Our customers benefit from a solution that’s optimized end-to-end. Lastly, our teams remain available to support the full lifecycle of the system with tailored inspection and maintenance services. This full-service approach helps reduce overall costs for our customers.

Prysmian’s engineering teams work in close synergy with our R&D departments, which are fully committed to driving the Energy Transition by supporting it with cutting-edge technologies delivered to the highest standards. With numerous Giga-Projects currently underway — and many more on the horizon — we continue to expand our teams to better support our customers, including through local presence, working side by side as one team to ensure successful project delivery.

Enabling Europe’s clean energy transition

Prysmian is playing a key role in developing three vital energy projects that will transport the clean energy generated by wind power off the northern shores of Germany to the industry packed South of the country, home of the European powerful productive engine, in a process that will help the entire Union’s energy transition.

The three innovative 525 kV HVDC cable connections will contribute to achieving decarbonization goals. To do so, Prysmian will develop smart and sustainable power grid infrastructures to support the energy transition in Germany and Europe.

Jointing installation

With decades of expertise, Prysmian delivers a comprehensive range of accessories for all types of energy cables, supported by specialized engineering services to meet any power system requirement or specification.Our extensive experience in high and extra-high voltage cable systems has led to the development of a full suite of accessories for cables.

The jointer is a qualified person who is dedicated to the assembly of accessories. He develops his skills thanks to several trainings managed by the company. As a result, the jointer becomes the key person of the cable assembly. His work is based on assembly drawings, instruction and procedures which are always with the jointers during the operations.

Advanced training techniques & Main challenges

Cable jointing is a critical task that demands precision, experience, and deep technical knowledge. That’s why our training programs are designed to be rigorous, hands-on, and now—thanks to Virtual Reality and 3D procedures—more intuitive and accessible.

Our jointers-in-training follow a two-year path that blends classroom learning with real-world practice. These immersive tools allow trainees to visualize installations in full scale, rehearse procedures remotely, and even receive real-time expert support through augmented reality.

The benefits of this immersive technology are:

Improved joint quality
Faster alignment between R&D, Network components and training teams
Increased autonomy and confidence in the field
Scalable training that reaches jointers worldwide

These technologies are now being applied across a wide range of operations—from cable pulling and site preparation to offshore installations—ensuring teams are better prepared for real-world challenges.