Debriefing ARPA-E Summit: Prysmian’s Automated Splicing Machine for Underground Power Cables Project Update

In 2024, Prysmian received $4.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) as a part of the Grid Overhaul with Proactive, High-speed Undergrounding for Reliability, Resilience, and Security (GOPHURRS) program, which aims to strengthen and modernize America's aging power grid through the development of cost-effective, high-speed, and safe undergrounding technologies. 

With the funding, we began developing an automated splicing machine for underground power cables in collaboration with Con Edison and Exelon, two of the largest investor-owned utilities in the U.S., which are developing grid modernization initiatives and deploying this technology. 

For over 100 years, the manual splicing process has remained the same, and this new technology marks a warranted change that will not only improve splice consistency but also remove workers from extremely hazardous environments. 

Fully automating the MC cable splicing process can help:

• Increase the reliability of the grid.
• Improve worker safety by reducing time in the manhole.
• Enable splicing process improvements from automation and AI diagnostics in the near future.
• Reduce splicing time to under 1 hour and decrease failure rate to less than 5%. 

From 2024 to 2025, our focus was on machine design, technology selection, and de-risking our technology. We explored the machine's size and weight constraints, automated process steps designed for humans, and improved the repeatability of the cable cutback. 

What's next? 

After successful lab trials, we plan to conduct extensive field validation with the help of Con Edison and Exelon, which will inform our industrialization of the machine. We'll explore ORNL and NEETRAC validation testing on machine-made splices. Ultimately, Prysmian plans to commercialize and deploy the machine to utilities across the U.S. 

The development of our automated splicing machine not only paves the way for a more reliable and resilient power grid but also enhances the safety and efficiency of utility operations. By leveraging innovative technologies and collaborating with industry leaders such as Con Edison and Exelon, we are committed to transforming longstanding practices in underground cable splicing. Together, we are forging a path toward a brighter, more sustainable future.