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UKPN service head to smart meter - Advice and options?

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Situation - first floor maisonette

UKPN Service head (60A fuse) TN-S is located in ground floor flat with no access for first floor.  Riser cables (VIR badly degraded) run inside brickwork up to another cutout fuse (60A).  Modern cables then loop into smart meter.  UKPN say they are not responsible for the riser - EDS 08-1103 section 6.1 - even though EPN as it was then installed it (although the cutout is theirs and technically only they are allowed to remove the fuse - my thoughts?).  UKPN won't pay for the work so that sits with the client unless anyone can tell me differently?

So, what's the best way to achieve this?  Need to upgrade the cable to 25mm2 (and probably ask to upgrade fuse to 100A) and it's not practical to start digging out the walls, not least because prolonged access to downstairs is not really an option.  Therefore external?  Best method/option?

Thanks in advance


Images - degraded VIR cable; upstairs cutout; downstairs service head
441e1955118398d5c372d5c581f9b1f4-huge-2021-03-08-11.11.21.jpg4d4b6764c4e77cfb446cace0ef9fb2cd-huge-2021-03-08-11.10.56.jpg
b96c361424b4d58634fc968632e95a41-huge-2021-03-08-17.06.50.jpg
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    davezawadi (David Stone):

    I agree with Andy, those tails in the picture are not in immediate danger of failure as far as I can see. This is not a case of panic. The old tails we are told travel up to another meter, in the flat above, and the meter operator will be responsible for the tails between the cutout and the meter (as no one else can connect them) and there is potentially a risk of abstraction. I suggest you contact them and point out that their installation is unsatisfactory. These cables do not belong to the consumer and are not part of a BNO installation. If you really need more power then the DNO will supply another distribution cable at a considerable cost, to supply the upstairs flat alone.


    Hi David

    UKPN did come out before I posted this and the engineer said that they were not responsible for the riser; their responsibility ended at the service head which is in the downstairs flat.  I did phone customer services to question that and did get it escalated.  That's when they quoted EDS 08-1103 section 6.1.  Definitely pre 1972 so not between 1972 -2013.  So not quite sure what can be done apart from the client paying for it.  It definitely needs sorting asap!  Anybody on here have a successful 'dialogue' with a DNO in a similar situation and get a successful resolution.  The engineer hinted that they may just come, cut off the supply until it's sorted and tough luck on the client ...


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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    davezawadi (David Stone):

    I agree with Andy, those tails in the picture are not in immediate danger of failure as far as I can see. This is not a case of panic. The old tails we are told travel up to another meter, in the flat above, and the meter operator will be responsible for the tails between the cutout and the meter (as no one else can connect them) and there is potentially a risk of abstraction. I suggest you contact them and point out that their installation is unsatisfactory. These cables do not belong to the consumer and are not part of a BNO installation. If you really need more power then the DNO will supply another distribution cable at a considerable cost, to supply the upstairs flat alone.


    Hi David

    UKPN did come out before I posted this and the engineer said that they were not responsible for the riser; their responsibility ended at the service head which is in the downstairs flat.  I did phone customer services to question that and did get it escalated.  That's when they quoted EDS 08-1103 section 6.1.  Definitely pre 1972 so not between 1972 -2013.  So not quite sure what can be done apart from the client paying for it.  It definitely needs sorting asap!  Anybody on here have a successful 'dialogue' with a DNO in a similar situation and get a successful resolution.  The engineer hinted that they may just come, cut off the supply until it's sorted and tough luck on the client ...


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