20 n CABLE TESTING May 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com How drives are helping to test low-loss cables As the energy transition accelerates, companies around the world are innovating to make power distribution cleaner and more efficient. One of them is Enertechnos, based in Kingston upon Thames, whose patented CTS (capacitive transfer system) cable is designed to cut losses in transmission and distribution networks by up to 10%. The cable works by offsetting the inductive reactance that normally builds up across long lengths of cable. The new cables can have smaller cross-sections or operate at lower voltages to deliver the same power as existing cables. They also need fewer components, reducing the need for maintenance. Enertechnos describes its technology as “disruptive”, and says it marks the first fundamental change to power cable design and fabrication in decades. It can be manufactured using existing cablemanufacturing methods. To put its technology to the test, Enertechnos partnered with the Government-funded Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) to work on a large-scale proving project. The aim was to demonstrate how its technology could reduce cable impedance and improve transmission efficiency. A critical part of the trials was the ability to control and modulate power frequencies precisely in a three-phase CTS cable about 1.8km long. The challenge lay in recreating realistic operating conditions and measuring how the CTS performed under different parameters. To achieve this, Enertechnos needed a system that would: n operate at frequencies well beyond the UK grid’s nominal 50Hz; n provide a stable, controllable output at 690V; n integrate with auxiliary equipment; and n deliver high-resolution performance monitoring during live operation. It needed a testbed that would deliver both precision and flexibility. After assessing various options, Enertechnos chose a 320kW variablefrequency drive, made by the Chinese drive-maker Veichi and supplied in the UK by Charter Controls. The AC310 drive, known for its high-performance vector control, STO (Safe Torque Off) capabilities, and wide range of expansion interfaces, offered the combination of robustness and adaptability needed for the project. Crucially, the drive allowed the project team to increase the transmitted frequency from the grid standard of 50Hz to a range of 400–900Hz at 690V. This flexibility was not only essential for the NZTC trials, but will also support upcoming proving programmes, including 400Hz aviation projects and a Diva (dynamic intermittent variable asymmetry) system which will test the CTS performance under highly variable, real-world grid conditions. Installation of the test rig was straightforward and intuitive. Auxiliary equipment such as remote control modules were sourced off-the-shelf and integrated without issue, thanks to the drive’s compatibility with third-party hardware. The drive quickly proved its value in practice. It provided: n Balanced reactance By modulating its output frequency as a proxy for cable length, engineers were able to balance the reactance of the 1.8km-long CTS cable and to achieve low impedance. n Real-time control The PWM carrier frequency and other parameters could be adjusted dynamically under live conditions, reducing downtime and improving data accuracy. n Operational flexibility Multiple scenarios were tested to validate CTS performance against NZTC benchmarks, proving the cable’s potential across a variety of applications. In an unusual application, a UK developer of low-loss power cables has used a drive’s variable-frequency capabilities to test a pioneering cable that it is has invented. Amir Sami, director of sales at Charter Controls, explains how it works. Enertechnos’ capacitive transfer cable can cut losses in transmission and distribution networks by up to 10%.
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