In November 2011, the IMCORP Factory Grade® technology assessment discovered this compromised section of cable at a wind farm in Kansas. The customer used IMCORP’s Location Matching service to pinpoint the defect location. The jacket was cut open to reveal the nail which was barely visible on the jacket surface.
The origin of the nail is speculative—it could have become embedded on the reel during shipping, an installation mishap, or the result of direct sabotage. What is clear, though, is that this damage to the cable and insulation would have resulted in a near term failure if left undetected and not repaired.
