Sinopec Shanghai achieves new breakthroughs in high-end cable insulation materials

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Recently, the first batch of J182C ultra-clean high-pressure polyethylene cable insulation material base developed by Shanghai Petrochemical was transported to Zhejiang Wanma Company using specialized tank trucks, marking a new breakthrough for Shanghai Petrochemical in the field of high-end cable insulation materials. The J182C ultra-clean high-voltage polyethylene cable insulation material is primarily used in the insulation layers of high-voltage cables of 110 kV and above. It features low dielectric loss, high volume resistivity, and excellent processing stability; its key performance indicators are at the advanced level of similar international products, enabling it to meet the demands for high-performance cable materials in fields such as new energy, rail transit, and urban power grids. Shanghai Petrochemical’s breakthroughs in this field were not achieved overnight. After the J182B high-voltage cable compound produced by its No. 2 high-pressure polyethylene plant was successfully used at 35 kV voltage levels, continuous technical upgrades were carried out, enabling its application in 110 kV systems as well. An improved version of this compound, namely J182C, was subsequently developed, which is the product mentioned earlier. As the core basic material in cable manufacturing, the performance of the cable insulation matrix directly determines the voltage tolerance level, service life, and safety stability of the cable. Depending on the application area and performance requirements, their raw materials mainly include polymeric materials such as low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Among them, the insulation materials for common medium and low voltage cables (suitable for 35 kV and below) have relatively low technical barriers, and there is ample production capacity in China ； High-grade cable insulation materials (suitable for 110 kV and above high-voltage, ultra-high-voltage, and extra-high-voltage cables) require extremely high standards in terms of dielectric properties and purity, posing strict technical challenges. Currently, only a few companies in China, such as Shanghai Petrochemical and Qilu Petrochemical, have the capability to produce such materials, with specialty cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) materials still largely relying on imports. It is worth noting that XLPE material, which is the preferred choice for insulating layers in high-voltage cables, is produced by cross-linking LDPE resin. Its key advantages lie in its resistance to high temperatures, aging, and its excellent insulating properties. The long-chain branched structure of LDPE facilitates cross-linking, allowing for a high degree of cross-linking – characteristics that make it perfectly suitable for use in high-voltage cables. Currently, the key global producers of XLPE materials include Dow, Nordisk Plast, Zhejiang Wanma Polymer Materials, Avient, and Solvay. Among them, international giants, leveraging their mature technologies, have long maintained a dominant position in China’s high-end XLPE market. In the process of localizing high-end cable insulation materials in China, in addition to Shanghai Petrochemical, companies such as Qilu Petrochemical and Yanshan Petrochemical are also accelerating their efforts to make progress in various areas, thus creating a favorable pattern of coordinated development. Qilu Petrochemical achieves large-scale and high-quality production of high-end cable insulation materials through collaboration among industry, academia, and research institutions, as well as the integration of the industrial chain. Qilu Petrochemical and Qingdao Hancable jointly established Qilu High-Voltage Insulation Materials Co., Ltd.; the raw materials supplied by Qilu Petrochemical are transported directly to the insulation material production line via pipelines, enabling closed-loop production throughout the entire process. Since 2022, Qingdao Hancable has been using high-voltage cable insulation materials produced by Qilu Petrochemical, and to date thousands of tons of such materials have been purchased and utilized. Currently, Qilu Petrochemical has made a key breakthrough in the insulation materials for ultra-high voltage polyethylene cables: its 500 kV submarine/overland cable materials have passed international certifications and are being used in State Grid projects, while the 220 kV and 330 kV materials have achieved complete substitution of imported ones. Yanshan Petrochemical has achieved innovative breakthroughs in its production processes. By utilizing independently developed technologies, it built and put into operation China’s first and only continuous, fully enclosed, ultra-clean production facility for high-grade cable insulation materials, with an annual production capacity of 25,000 tons. This facility enables the continuous and stable production of 110 kV cross-linked polyethylene insulation materials, from raw materials to finished products. The quality and performance of these products have received high praise from customers, and they are currently being supplied to various high-end cable projects across China on a steady basis. In addition to the three major petrochemical companies, over the past decade or so, enterprises such as Zhejiang Wanma, Qingdao Hancable, Jiangsu Dewei, and Wanhua Chemical have successively invested in research and development efforts to overcome the key technical challenges. Currently, Wanhua Chemical takes advantage of its integrated upstream and downstream operations to provide an integrated supply of base materials and modified materials through pipeline transportation, and has produced XLPE products for ultra-high voltage applications on a pilot scale. In the international market, global giants are also accelerating their investment in XLPE production capacity to meet the growing demand in the global high-voltage and ultra-high-voltage cable market. In October 2025, Norsk Chemikalien announced a major investment aimed at expanding the production capacity of cross-linked polyethylene at its plant in Stenungsund, Sweden. This involves building new facilities for the production of medium-voltage cross-linked polyethylene (MV XLPE), in order to manufacture a new generation of homopolymer XLPE grades ； At the same time, capacity for high-end cross-linked polyethylene (HV/EHV XLPE) used in high-voltage and ultra-high-voltage applications is being expanded, along with closed-loop systems from monomers to final packaging, to ensure a high standard of product cleanliness. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and put into operation in 2027; once operational, it will further enhance Nordchem’s competitiveness in the global XLPE market. Currently, with the rapid development of fields such as domestic UHV power grid construction, offshore wind power, and new energy vehicles, the market demand for high-end cable insulation materials continues to rise. According to industry data, the market size for high-voltage cables of 110 kV and above in China is growing at an annual rate of over 15%, resulting in a significant demand gap for high-end insulation materials. Previously, there was a high degree of reliance on imported high-end cable insulation materials. This not only drove up production costs for downstream cable manufacturers but also posed risks related to supply chain instability. However, technological breakthroughs by domestic enterprises have effectively alleviated this problem.