Elastic high voltage electric phases for hyper depth power umbilical's

A phase including a core including a plurality of elongate conductive wires, said core being surrounded by a circumferential insulating sheath, wherein said core includes a central elongate element therein surrounded by said plurality of wires, said central elongate element being operable to flex to reduce a strain experienced in operation by said plurality of elongate conductive wires.

A method of enhancing strain properties of a power umbilical cable, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) arranging for a power umbilical cable to including one or more axial elongate phases for conducting electrical current, and one or more axial elongate structural components adapted to undergo stress to withstand axial and bending strain applied to the power umbilical cable in operation, said umbilical cable being protected within an outer protection layer;
• and
• (b) including in said one or more elongate phases corresponding one or more current conducting cores, wherein each core comprises a plurality of mutually abutting conductive metal wires, and wherein each current conducting core includes at a central portion therein surrounded by said plurality of conductive metal wires, said central portion including a flexible element operable to enable said wires to move in a radial direction to reduce their strain when said umbilical cable is subject in operation to stress causing said one or more elongate structural components to be axially strained.