Electrical installation for an electric trace heating system for a metal pipe for transporting fluids and electric trace heating method for such a pipe

An electrical installation an electrical system for trace heating a fluid transport pipe made of metal, the installation comprising at least one polyphase electric circuit (Cj) having:

• at least three main electric cables in a star connection for conveying electric currents having the same frequency, the same amplitude, and different phases;
• at least one additional electric cable distinct from the main cables, the main cables and the additional cable of the polyphase circuit being for positioning around the pipe between two longitudinal ends thereof, and being connected at the pipeline end to a common connection ring arranged around the pipe and forming a point of zero electric potential;
• and
• detection means for detecting a failure, if any, of the polyphase circuit in order to identify the failed main cable that has given rise to the failure of the polyphase circuit and in order to replace it with the additional cable.