Data Center Power Cable Testing and Certification

UL 2137: Safety and performance requirements specifically designed for data center power cabling

As data centers scale to higher power densities and increasingly complex electrical architectures, manufacturers, operators and system integrators must address electrical, thermal and operational demands specific to these modern high-performance computing environments.

To support these emerging needs, UL Solutions developed UL 2137, the Outline of Investigation for Data Center Power Cable, introducing construction and safety requirements specifically for fixed intra-data-center power distribution.

UL 2137 helps build confidence that cabling is constructed and tested to meet the safety and performance expectations of today’s mission-critical computing environments.

Why UL 2137 matters

In modern data center environments, cabling must support higher voltages and flexible routing inside dense architectures.

UL 2137 goes beyond the scope of portable industrial cables certified to UL 1650, the Standard for Portable Power Cable; it establishes a new category — data center power cable (Type DCPC) — designed specifically for intra-data-center applications.

With UL 2137 testing and certification, available exclusively through UL Solutions, you can demonstrate compliance with requirements tailored for the next generation of data center power distribution.

What UL 2137 covers

UL 2137 defines safety, performance and construction requirements for flexible power cables used within data centers, including cables intended to:

• Connect equipment to branch circuits
• Interconnect equipment within the data center environment

These cables are not intended for direct connection to electrical services, feeders or premises branch circuits.

UL 2137 applies to cables with the following attributes:

• Construction – Single insulated conductor with an overall jacket
• Conductors – Flexible stranded copper conductors or optional Litz conductors, from 12 AWG to 1,000 kcmil (3.31 to 507 square millimeters (mm²))
• Voltage ratings – 2,000 volts alternating current (Vac) or volts direct current (Vdc)
• Temperature ratings – 75 C, 90 C, 105 C or 150 C

Optional low-smoke, halogen-free markings support data centers seeking enhanced internal environmental and safety performance.

How UL 2137 compares: Type DCPC vs. UL 1650 Type W

While both Type DCPC and Type W cables carry 2,000 V ratings, their intended uses differ significantly.

Type DCPC (certified to UL 2137) is designed for:

• Fixed installation within data centers
• High-density environments
• Optional low-smoke/halogen-free construction
• Cable routing inside racks and equipment systems

Type W (certified to UL 1650) is designed for:

• Portable or mobile industrial use
• Environments requiring extreme mechanical durability
• Wet-location suitability and sunlight resistance
• Rugged conditions such as theater stages, garages and heavy-duty equipment

UL 2137 fills critical gaps not addressed by UL 1650 by defining safety requirements specifically for power distribution in modern computing environments.

Benefits of UL 2137 testing and certification

• For cable manufacturers – Demonstrate compliance with data-center-specific safety, performance and construction requirements. and gain market credibility through certification available exclusively through UL Solutions.
• For data center operators and designers – Specify cabling that meets requirements for high-density power distribution and increase confidence in thermal and electrical performance.
• For system integrators – Establish that installed cabling meets equipment interconnection requirements.

Purpose-built requirements for high-performance data center power infrastructure

UL 2137 marks a major advancement in standardizing cabling for today’s rapidly evolving data center landscape. As workloads intensify and architectures become more power-dense, the adoption of data center power cabling certified to UL 2137 helps support safety and performance.