Ellis engineers new London Power Tunnels contract

Ellis’ first Centaur cable saddles installed in UKPN’s London Power Tunnels.

Global cable cleat specialist, Ellis, has used its in-house expertise to design and manufacture a project-specific product that secured them a major specification.

Working directly with UK Power Networks (UKPN), Ellis developed a trefoil version of its Centaur cable saddle – a bespoke product that not only allowed the preferred trefoil arrangement of HV cables to be run through a stretch of tunnel between New Cross and Finsbury Market, but also significantly reduced the number of supports required.

Tony Conroy, Ellis’ Global Sales Director, said: “We are very much seen as the industry innovator. Customers come to us with specific requirements, sometime even challenges they worry are insurmountable, and we develop a solution that meets their needs and eventually can be added to our already world-leading product portfolio.”

Ellis’ bespoke Centaur
trefoil cable saddle.

Manufactured from marine grade aluminium, the new Ellis Centaur trefoil is similar to the existing Centaur cable saddle, but with alternative base profile and dual flair to accommodate trefoil cables. When installed, it allows for a 268mm cable sag and was tested to 19kA RMS for 0.1s (48.5kA peak), 40kA RMS for 0.1s (117kA peak) and given a thermal test of 19kA for 3s. “We have supplied a lot of single cable Centaur for other sections of the London Power Tunnels project, including our biggest ever single order back in 2012, but this was the first time UKPN had come to us with a bespoke requirement,” continued Tony.

“We looked at the viability of the request and when it became clear we could deliver a solution we turned it over to our R&D team who designed a product and produced a prototype. Once approved by UKPN it was sent for short-circuit testing and only once it had passed those rigorous safety tests did we agree to supply it.”

Ellis has also recently designed and developed bespoke solutions for the New Wear Crossing in Sunderland and the HelWin2 offshore wind farm.

For further information call 01944 758 395 or visit: www.ellispatents.co.uk