China records its first use of terrestrial cable for power transmission between islands

HANGZHOU, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- In ocean waters north of the city of Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, a 10-kilovolt terrestrial cable successfully traversed a pre-laid channel beneath the seabed on Thursday, marking the completion of the first project of its kind in China.

Linking the islands of Zhoushan and Shangyuanshan, the 1-km terrestrial cable serves as a substitute for submarine cable, which is prone to damage caused by anchoring ships, according to the local branch of State Grid.

In China, energy supply between islands relies mainly on transmission through submarine cables, said Li Zhen, head of the design company of the project, who added that terrestrial cables are buried deeper than anchor depths, thereby minimizing the risk of anchor-induced damage.

Additionally, terrestrial cables offer the benefits of lower costs and easier construction, making them more suitable for short-distance power transmission between islands, Li said.

This method will be extensively applied to connect islands separated by short and medium distances of no more than 2 km. The long-term goal is to achieve connections between islands over medium and long distances.