Help wanted to read/understand an electrical supply plan from DNO - updated new query

Hello

Its quite hard to follow all the detail on the drawing and without more local knowledge about the network it is quite hard to comment..... nevertheless a few questions come to mind.


Firstly WPD appear to want to dig across the road to lay a new duct to accommodate the overlay 300mm2 cable. On the existing plan there appears to be a duct there already with the 95mm2 cable in it.  Of course it may be blocked or have collapsed but equally it could be open.  It should be possible to reuse this duct (or at least attempt to) and this would save the (substantial) costs of digging the road up.  


Secondly whilst it may be a good engineering solution and help to alleviate other capacity problems (sounds like the existing 95mm2 cable could be overloaded) to overlay the entire length of the existing 95mm2 cable an alternative would be to lay new cable from the substation to the new property.  This could be on a much shorter route if wayleaves can be got to cross the land between the new garage and the corner north of it.  I suspect the substation is pole mounted so providing a new fuse way shouldn't be an issue (if it was ground mounted then its quite possible that the fuse cabinet would be full). It might be possible to T off one of the other LV mains near the substation as an alternative but that will depend on how near to capacity they are.  I think you'd have to pay 100% rather than 70% but you would be looking at a much shorter run and prob a 95mm2 rather than 300mm2 cable and no road crossing, no breeches joint, n need for 2 services joints and 2 service extension joints and no need for one of the pole terminations and much less of your own digging.  It could be even less if you can persuade WPD to run overhead but I expect they would resist this.


Thirdly, If you took the latter approach the laying of the new cable to the substation would be contestable works and you could find alternative contractor to quote for this which might save money too.


I would try and find someone local with connections experience who will talk to WPD for you. They have a duty to consider the lowest cost way of connecting you.


Finally all of the DNOs are preparing business plans for the next regulatory period at present.  These will be reviewed by the independent WPD Customer Engagement Group who I am sure would be interested to hear about your experience.  Connections are a focus for them.


Hope this helps.

Hello

Its quite hard to follow all the detail on the drawing and without more local knowledge about the network it is quite hard to comment..... nevertheless a few questions come to mind.


Firstly WPD appear to want to dig across the road to lay a new duct to accommodate the overlay 300mm2 cable. On the existing plan there appears to be a duct there already with the 95mm2 cable in it.  Of course it may be blocked or have collapsed but equally it could be open.  It should be possible to reuse this duct (or at least attempt to) and this would save the (substantial) costs of digging the road up.  


Secondly whilst it may be a good engineering solution and help to alleviate other capacity problems (sounds like the existing 95mm2 cable could be overloaded) to overlay the entire length of the existing 95mm2 cable an alternative would be to lay new cable from the substation to the new property.  This could be on a much shorter route if wayleaves can be got to cross the land between the new garage and the corner north of it.  I suspect the substation is pole mounted so providing a new fuse way shouldn't be an issue (if it was ground mounted then its quite possible that the fuse cabinet would be full). It might be possible to T off one of the other LV mains near the substation as an alternative but that will depend on how near to capacity they are.  I think you'd have to pay 100% rather than 70% but you would be looking at a much shorter run and prob a 95mm2 rather than 300mm2 cable and no road crossing, no breeches joint, n need for 2 services joints and 2 service extension joints and no need for one of the pole terminations and much less of your own digging.  It could be even less if you can persuade WPD to run overhead but I expect they would resist this.


Thirdly, If you took the latter approach the laying of the new cable to the substation would be contestable works and you could find alternative contractor to quote for this which might save money too.


I would try and find someone local with connections experience who will talk to WPD for you. They have a duty to consider the lowest cost way of connecting you.


Finally all of the DNOs are preparing business plans for the next regulatory period at present.  These will be reviewed by the independent WPD Customer Engagement Group who I am sure would be interested to hear about your experience.  Connections are a focus for them.


Hope this helps.