In this paper, in order to investigate availability of the OW-PD measurement method which has been proposed as an alternative of AC-PD measurement method to an after laying test and/or diagnosis for the power cable system, partial discharges owing to the needle-type defect integrated into the cable have been measured using AC and OW(Oscillating Wave) voltages. In the AC-PD measurement, the magnitude, phase and pulse number of partial discharges have been changed with the duration of voltage application, which can be analyzed through the relation with the process of the electrical tree initiation and propagation. In addition, the characteristics of partial discharges using OW voltage are appeared to be similar to those in case of AC-PD measurement and to be different with the shapes of electrical tree. From these results, it is concluded that the OW-PD measurement method is available to the tests for the cable system.