Polypropylene in cable applications

Cables have two major functions the transport of electrical energy through power cables, and the transfer of signals via telecommunication cables. 

Power cables are designed to transport high energies over long distances with a minimum of loss. Power cables are subdivided into two classes  

The function of the first class is to transport the energy from a power plant to a distribution centre. This is done at high voltage (20-175 kV) in order to reduce the resistivity losses. The buried high-voltage cables (HV) are insulated with peroxide-cross-linked PE (XLPE). 

Medium voltage (MV) and low voltage (LV) cables have the function of distributing the electrical energy to the low voltage network and to the consumers respectively. 

The higher the voltage, the more important the losses through heat, hence the more heat resistant the insulation has to be. 

---