Define Cables - Generation and Absorption of Reactive Power?
It is well known that the shunt capacitance of the cable is very large as compared to that of an overhead line. This is because the phase conductor of a cable is very close to the outer earthed metallic sheath. Hence, cables are generators of reactive power. For example, a 275 kV, 240 MVA cable produces 10 to 12 MVAr per mile and a 33 kV cable produces 0.2 MVAr per mile. Consequently they are not used for long a.c. transmission.