CEPCO has announced the completion of what has been a complex project with an innovative solution that has allowed 4000 MVA power to be transmitted between Rabigh PP and AL ADL 380 KV BSP in the western region of the Kingdom.
The contract consisted of an 8km long cable route between OHL gantry Rabigh and AL ADL BSP in Jeddah as 2×380 KV cable circuits, two cables per phase.
A first of its kind project in Saudi Arabia, the biggest challenge was to find a way to construct the last 620m section No. 16 of the 8km route that had to cross the very busy traffic under Al Haramain Highway. It is also situated below the bulk oil main supply pipeline of ARAMCO and had to circumnavigate the extremely congested area with all kinds of underground services, such as 380 KV 110 KV lines, drinking water, flood and sewerage lines, and telecommunication lines.
The solution devised by CEPCO was to construct a cast in situ reinforced concrete square tunnel over a length of 270m
The solution devised by CEPCO was to construct a cast in-situ reinforced concrete square tunnel (Shaft A) over a length of 270m to allow the laying of up to six 380 KV cable circuits; a receiving shaft B (11m deep, 7-meter diameter); and a 109m long micro deep tunnel consisting of two reinforced concrete pipes.
Shaft A is also used as a transition area between the deep micro tunnel and the 211m square tunnel at the AL ADL substation basement to reach the 380KV GIS cable compartments.