ABB KRC Medium-Voltage Cable Joint Kit

ABB KRC medium-voltage cable joint kits provide reliable straight (inline) and T-branch connections for XLPE and EPR insulated cables rated from 6 kV to 36 kV, restoring the electrical insulation integrity and mechanical protection of the cable at the joint location to a standard equal to or better than the original cable construction. Using cold-shrink technology — where pre-expanded silicone rubber tubes retract uniformly onto the cable and joint body when the internal support core is removed — KRC joints achieve the precise geometric stress control and void-free interface critical to long-term electrical performance at medium voltage. Cold-shrink installation requires no heat source, no open flame, and no specialised tooling beyond standard cable preparation tools, making it safer and faster than heat-shrink alternatives in Saudi Arabia's confined underground cable chambers and cramped substation cable basements where gas heating is prohibited.

The electrical engineering of a properly installed KRC joint is demanding. The geometric stress cone geometry of the moulded silicone insulator body distributes the concentrated electrical stress at the cable insulation-to-joint interface — where the insulation screen is cut back — over a controlled length, preventing localised field enhancement that would initiate partial discharge and progressive insulation breakdown. KRC joints are pre-tested to IEC 60502-4 type test requirements including 4-hour voltage withstand at 2.5 U₀, partial discharge extinction voltage above 1.5 U₀ with PD level below 10 pC, impulse withstand to the applicable IEC 60071 level for each system voltage, and water immersion IP68 tightness. The IP68 water-tightness is critical in Saudi Arabia's underground cable networks where groundwater infiltration and seasonal flooding in cable chambers, particularly in coastal Jeddah and Al Khobar, expose joints to prolonged water immersion.

Saudi Arabia's massive urban and industrial infrastructure investment is driving substantial underground cable installation volume at all voltage levels from 11 kV distribution to 380 kV transmission, and every circuit requires joints wherever cable drum lengths are joined end-to-end and at T-junction points on ring main cable systems. National water company (NWC) and SEC distribution cable rehabilitation programs replacing aging paper-insulated (PILC) cables with modern XLPE cables generate large volumes of straight joint requirements. ARAMCO's offshore and onshore facility cable replacement programs specify KRC joints for their XLPE cable systems, with ATEX-certified versions for hazardous area applications. The Red Sea Project and NEOM underground HV/MV cable infrastructure projects specify IEC 60502-4 type-tested joints across all voltage levels.

Razz Middle East holds KRC joint kits for standard XLPE cable sizes (25 mm² to 630 mm²) at 12 kV and 24 kV system voltages, with 36 kV kits available to order. We supply to SEC-approved cable jointers, ARAMCO-approved contractors, and independent electrical contractors across Saudi Arabia, with full joint installation documentation, IEC 60502-4 test certificates, and technical support for correct cable preparation and installation procedures.