Technical improvements in the construction of EHV cables have made possible the installation of very long EHV AC cable lines; with a sufficient degree of voltage control such lines can retain a large part of their theoretical power transmission capability. Quick, accurate expressions for the evaluation of cable length-loading relationships are given to that purpose. Appropriate choice of shunt compensation by standard, fixed-type shunt reactors, aimed at solving most steady-state constraints on the operation of very long EHV cable lines as well as temporary overvoltages, is discussed. Analysis of the operating envelopes of very long EHV AC cable lines shows that line losses play a very limited role. A simple criterion for optimal utilization of real, lossy cable lines is also proposed.