Abstract: To enhance the simulation accuracy of cable intermediate joints, this paper proposes a modeling approach that explicitly accounts for the difference in contact resistance between the compressed and non-compressed areas. A geometric annular ring is introduced to represent the contact interface between the compression connector and the cable conductor, and the electrical conductivity of this contact-resistance ring is inversely determined based on an equivalent circuit model. Simulation results show that, under an applied current of 3020 A, the conductor temperature reaches 90.9 ℃, the outer surface temperature of the compression connector is 96.1 ℃, and the surface temperature of the joint's silicone rubber insulation is 60.1 ℃. The maximum discrepancy between the simulation and experimental data occurs at the outer surface of the compression connector, with a relative error of 5.14%. This good agreement validates the effectiveness of the proposed model, offering a novel and refined methodology for thermal simulation and safety assessment of high-voltage XLPE cable joints.