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 In the context of the project for the extension of St Jakob Park, IWB (Basle Industrial Services) have commissioned Nexans to adapt the route of the 150 kV high-tension line and to reroute the external gas pressure cable.
This enlargement project is based on the wish to have a stadium with a capacity of 40,000 spectators permanently available in Switzerland, even after the EURO' 2008 soccer games. When complete, St Jakob Park will also include parking for the stadium and an apartment and office building, in addition to the commercial centre on the lower ground floor opened in 2001.
All these construction works meant that the existing high-tension line had to be moved again: the original link between the Jakobsberg and Birsbrücke substations, provided in 1968, had already been relocated in 1999 during the construction of the St Jakob Park station.
Gas cable
The type of cable used is a specially constructed 150 kV external gas pressure cable: three cables are passed together into a steel tube. The complete system is then charged with nitrogen at a pressure of 15 bar.
Although this technology – dating from 1940 in Cortaillod – is now tending to be replaced by cables insulated with reticulated synthetic material, the tests carried out in 1999 on the St Jakob Park line have not revealed any sign of ageing, any anomalies, or any quality problems.
The partial lengths of the two links to be replaced at the time the line is deviated are therefore still being manufactured according to this technique.
All the detailed technical specifications can be found at http://www.nexans.ch/e-service
The challenge for Nexans: to ensure the electricity supply for a major architectural project by utilizing tried and tested technology, quality cables, and installation know-how.
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