2014 Sees Increase in Collector System Installation Performance

Renewable energy producers should expect a 5% decrease in the risk of unplanned outages on sites commissioned in 2014.

MANCHESTER, Conn., April 17, 2015 IMCORP, the exclusive provider of the Factory Grade® test for power cable systems, has released the 2014 Annual Cable System Quality Rating for utility-scale renewable energy sites in North America. IMCORP assesses thousands of new cable systems annually and maintains the most comprehensive database of medium and high voltage cable installation performance data in the world.
During 2014, 89% of cable systems installed at utility-scale renewable energy sites in the US met the manufacturers' quality control standards on initial test (The Cable System Quality Rating, or CSQR). In 2013, the CSQR for the US renewable industry was 84%. This is a positive trend since the performance metrics measured in the two years prior saw a decline.

The average utility-scale renewable site contains approximately 100 medium voltage cable segments and the Factory Grade® test is utilized to assess the condition of each cable system allowing for pre-energization repairs of substandard components. The average 2014 facility is at risk for 11 cable system failures before the end of its designed life and therefore renewable energy site owners that utilize the Factory Grade® test are able to locate, mitigate, and avoid outages associated with these embedded defects that may occur after manufacturing or during installation.

IMCORP, an engineering services company, is the technology leader in underground power cable diagnostics. The company's patented technology has been field-proven through the testing of over one hundred million feet of underground power cable all over the world. IMCORP's Factory Grade® technology locates existing cable system defects and predicts future cable reliability. This performance-driven diagnostic solution provides the most effective and efficient way to determine the reliability of new or aged cable systems from 5kV to 500kV. IMCORP has been assisting clients around the world improve cable reliability for over 19 years, and has tested more than 90,000 spans totaling over 109 million feet.

IMCORP's technology improves the quality of life for everyone by enhancing the reliability of electric power delivered to them through underground power cables. Find out more at www.imcorp.com.

For more information or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Stephanie Ayers
860.873.8000
stephanie.ayers@imcorp.com