Detailed model for calculation of life-cycle cost of cable ownership and comparison with the IEC formula

- The linear model for the optimal cable conductor size proposed by the IEC is correct.
- Selection of optimal cable conductor size requires detailed cable cost information.
- Optimization procedure can be used to obtain an optimal power cable conductor size.
- The cost of losses can be equal to the cost of the cable; hence they cannot be ignored.

The purpose of this paper is to validate the model for the selection of the optimal power cable conductor cross section presented in the IEC Standard 60287-3-2. To this end, a detailed model for the calculation of the life-cycle cost of cable ownership is presented. The formula takes into account both the material and labor costs in the production of a power cable as well as the cost of losses during its operation. Since the formula is fairly complex, a genetic algorithm is proposed to solve the optimization problem. A real-life numerical example is presented.