Subsea Cable Terminology Lesson 1: Shunt fault

A shunt fault is damage to the insulation around the power conductor that all subsea cables require for undersea optical amplification. It causes an electric short. They are most common in the deep sea where the cable lies exposed on the sea floor as opposed to near shore where burial is routine. Abrasion caused by deep sea currents that rub cables against sharp surfaces like rocks are the usual…