Story: Engineering on the sea floor

Upgrading cables (1st of 3)

In 1991, three new power cables and two new fibre-optic cables were laid along the Cook Strait sea floor. The new power cables are 126 millimetres in diameter, very heavy (1 metre weighs 52 kilograms), and can carry 350 kV 1,430 amps of high-voltage direct current. Watch footage of the Skagerrak laying them.

Using this item

Transpower New Zealand

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Keith Lewis, 'Engineering on the sea floor - Submarine cables', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/6635/upgrading-cables (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Keith Lewis, published 12 Jun 2006