The Unseen Threat: Steady State AC Interference from Wind‑Energy Buried HVAC Cables (C2026-00277)
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Central
Location: 372 EF
Earn .5 PDH
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Casey Heinrich, Marlane Rodriguez , Bob Little, Brandon Wong
Buried high‑voltage AC (HVAC) transmission cables from wind‑generation projects are an under‑recognized source of interference on adjacent buried steel pipelines. Wind‑farm configurations commonly involve multiple three‑phase, high‑current cables with varying crossing geometries, which can induce substantial AC currents. Using predictive electromagnetic‑field (EMF) modeling, this study quantifies steady‑state AC induction on operational pipelines in the western U.S. co‑located with a newly installed wind farm’s buried HVAC conductors. We provide details of cable currents, specifications, crossing frequencies, and angular orientations for the wind‑generation array. Our results reveal a gap in current AC interference assessments: buried HVAC cables can induce AC levels exceeding industry‑acceptable thresholds.
