Power, Control, and Instrumentation Cables

DOE-HDBK-6004-99

Power, Control, and Instrumentation Cables

Except in the case of thermocouple and lighting cables, all conductors should be Class B stranded,

tin-coated or lead-alloy-coated, soft or annealed copper. The following classes of cables should be

provided:

15 kV and 5 kV power cable

600 volt power cable

Lighting wire rated 600 volts

Control cable rated 600 volts

Instrument cables and special cables

Communication cables

All cables should be capable of passing the cable tray vertical flame test set forth in IEEE-383.

Individual conductor in cables should be capable of passing the vertical flame test of subsection 6.19.6

of IPCEA S-19-81 and/or S-66-524.

Safety-class cables which must survive exposure to abnormal environmental conditions such as those

following postulated design basis accidents should be qualified for such service per IEEE-383.

The medium-voltage power cables for the 13.8 kV system should be rated at 15 kV, and the cables

for the 4.16 kV system should be rated at 5 kV. The conductors should be insulated with an ethylene

propylene rubber (EPR) or equivalent compound rated for 90o C conductor temperature. The 13.8

kV cables should be single-conductor (1/C) shielded with hypalon or equivalent jacket. The 4160

V cables in trays should be either 1/C or 3/C cables with a hypalon or equivalent jacket. The 4160

V cables in conduit and in underground ducts should be 1/C, shielded cables with a hypalon or

equivalent jacket.

Power cable for use at voltages of 480 V and less should be rated at 600 V. Each conductor should

be insulated with an ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) or equivalent compound rated for 90o C

conductor temperature. Multiple conductor cables should be used for all wire sizes up through No.

2 American Wire Gage (AWG) and should be provided with an overall jacket of neoprene, hypalon,

or equivalent material. Single conductor cables should only be used for sizes No. 1/O AWG and

larger, except in special cases where a calculation is made to verify the acceptability of and need for

single conductor power cables No. 2 AWG or smaller. Insulation and jacket thicknesses should be

in accordance with Insulated Power Cable Engineers Association (IPCEA) standards.

Control cables should be rated at 600 V. Each conductor should be insulated with cross-linked

polyethylene, Tefzel, ethylene propylene rubber, or equivalent compound rated for 90o C conductor

temperature. Multiple conductor cables should be used for all control circuits; they should be

provided with an overall jacket of neoprene, hypalon, or an equivalent material. Insulation and jacket

thicknesses should be in accordance with IPCEA standards. Conductor size for control cables should

be at least No. 16 AWG. Control cables between switchyard and plant area should be of the shielded

type.