Precision Cables of Dundalk supplied Prysmian’s FP PLUS and FP600 fire resistant cables for the project. Prysmian FP PLUS cable is being installed in the essential life safety systems throughout the development, including the fire detection and fire alarm system, emergency lighting and the voice alarm and public address network. FP600 is also being used to power smoke extract fans, fire fighting lifts, and life safety boards. SWA cable glands from Prysmian complete the fit out. Mercury Engineering based in Dublin is carrying out all work.

Both FP600 and FP PLUS cable are designed for environments such as airports, being of low smoke variety, where dangerous gas emissions and fumes would be extremely hazardous in the event of fire. Both possess third-party approval by the LPCB and / or BASEC.

Sean Cox of Precision Cables, the sole distributor of Prysmian cable in Ireland, feels confident supplying the cable, he commented: “We have been supplying Prysmian cable for the past 20 years, so we know the cable can be trusted for projects that attract a large numbers of people.”

Ken Clarke of Mercury Engineering, commented,

“We are installing approximately 80,000m for the fire alarm & voice evacuation systems, and 20,000m for the life safety circuits. When you are spending in excess of € 1 million on such substantial cable quantities and for installation in an airport terminal, a tried and trusted fire performance cable is required. FP600 and FP PLUS fulfilled all our needs, being third party approved and suitable for developments where large numbers of people could be at risk in the event of fire.”

Ken added, “I have used Prysmian cable on many other projects before this one and would have no hesitation using it again. It is quick and easy to install and we are on schedule to finish our electrical work by February 2010.”

FP600 from Prysmian is a unique enhanced performance fire resistant power cable, designed specifically to meet the more onerous fire survival requirements now requested by regulators and specifiers for many fire fighting and life safety applications. Its superior mechanical protection provided by an interlocking steel tape armour is maintained to a high level under fire conditions. This armour design ensures that FP600 meets the new generation fire test requirement currently given in BS7346-6:2005 or BS8491:2008 which involves direct mechanical impact and water jet application under fire conditions.

Prysmian new generation FP PLUS is a highly durable and dressable, easy to terminate and install fire resistant cable, using an enhanced variant of the unique Insudite ^TM damage resistant insulation system. Approved for fire detection and fire alarm critical signal paths to BS5839-1:2002+A2:2008, and voice alarm systems to BS5839-8:2008 in "enhanced" application areas, and emergency lighting systems to BS5266-1:2005.

Dublin Terminal 2 is a three-storey curvilinear building with a new facility – one of only two in Europe – that will allow passengers to clear US customs and immigration before departure. Terminal 2 is expected to be home to Aer Lingus and other transatlantic and intercontinental carriers when it opens to passengers in September 2010.