Here we provide key information about the installation of electricity infrastructure and related services. The guide covers a number of sections designed to help you make the process of electricity installation clearer and more straightforward.
Requirements for installing Electric Mains Cables
If a site developer wants to install electric mains cable ducts they need to ensure that:
- Electric ducts are installed at the right depth and position – this can be checked in the SWUK Guidelines on the Positioning and Colour Coding of Underground Utilities Apparatus, Volume 1, 29 October 2013.
- Electric ducts are clean and not covered in any material that could damage them after the installation is completed
- Electric ducts have draw ropes that are used for pulling cables through ducting
- Ducting used for mains road crossings is of the right colour, material, and size
- Electric warning marker tape is placed at between 150mm to a maximum of 250 mm above ducts for mains cables.
Responsibilities of a site developer when installing electric service ducting
Before and during electric service duct installation, the site developer must ensure that:
- Service ducting for road crossings uses the right ducts, which are 100 mm in diameter
- Service ducting at private properties uses 38mm diameter ducting for single-phase service. Moreover, it has to be black and red embossed electrical ducting.
- For internal meter positions the 38mm duct has to start from the left hand side of the terminal board and be no more than 50mm away from the meter board, it has to finish at the connection point on the property line.
Requirements for electrical installation
Before the electricity installation can commence, the site developer has to complete the following actions:
- Approved ducting
The site developer can use only approved ducting, which must be kept clear of any obstructions and be at least 250mm away from other utilities or ducts
- CDM Regulations
The site developer has to manage the site in accordance with CDM Regulations and must get in touch with other parties that might be affected by installation works.
- Depth of cover
The site developer needs to ensure that existing ground levels offer enough depth to cover the apparatus. If depth of cover is not sufficient, it will not be possible to proceed with the installation.
- Draw-ropes on ducts
The site developer must make sure that draw-ropes are fitted on all electric cable ducts.
- Excavation barriers
The site developer has to put a secure barriers system in place around excavations near to the installation site.
- Ground levels
The site developer needs to make sure that the ground levels are within +150mm or -150mm of the finished level of installation.
- Kerbs
The site developer needs to install a kerb which is used on dangerous curves and edges.
- Meter positions
The site developer has to make sure that the meter position ends at the area which was outlined in the agreed construction plan.
- Utility drawings
The site developer has to give updated on-site utility drawings to those carrying out the installation.
- Routes for installation staff
The site developer has to prepare a route for installation and give it to the personnel in charge of completing the installation. The route has to outline safe access and be safe from any obstructions such as scaffolding or building materials.
- Services crossing roads
The site developer has to make sure that where services cross roads they are run in 100mm ducts. The maximum allowed service cables per duct is two. The ends of the 100mm ducts have to stay away from the driveways of properties.
Requirements for Internal Electric Positions
To prepare for the installation, there are a number of requirements regarding internal electric positions. These are:
- Cut outs are at a height of between 500mm and 2000mm
- Meter boards are fire-proof and are installed before the actual installation takes place
- Cupboard doors are fire-resistant
- The duct from the service position is more than 50mm away from the meter board when going through the floor
- Other utilities cannot be in the same location if placed under the stairs
- The ambient temperature is no higher than 30 degrees C
- Electrical positioning at the site complies with building regulations
- The space where all electrical positions has a lot of light and is ventilated
- Electric supplies stored in garages have to be kept at a high level (of at least 1000mm) to lower the risks
- Supplies place on a stud wall must have a 1mm steel backing with cut-out
- Internal electric positions cannot be in a confined space
- There has to be enough space for equipment and the electrical meter.
Requirements for multi-service installations
Multi-service installations can be more complex so there are more things to think about before the process. These are:
| Design | discussing the internal network configurations and standards that the company doing the installation has to follow |
| Construction | Positioning all internal service cables and internal mains cable routes in communal areas Installing a meter board at a height of 500mm at minimum and 2000mm at maximum Positioning all service terminations in locations acceptable to installation staff within a 750mm area Ensuring that all cable routes from the distribution board to the service position have holes cored to facilitate the cable route Providing and installing a section of duct at entry points to individual properties |
| Permeable paving | Agreeing a service strip with the installation stafff before installing permeable paving (Network operators might refuse accepting works on the site below permeable pavements) |
| Unmetered supplies | Entering into Unmetered Supplies Agreement with the Network Operator to cover the cost of energy consumption by any unmetered connections |
Information about substations
The location and substation type has to be agreed by the site developer and the installation team during the design stage.
Then, before any construction work can start, the site developer has to wait for the installation staff to provide them with the substation specification. The site developer has to make sure that the substation housing follows the design specification issued by the installation team.
Finally, the installation personnel must be given 24-hour access to the substation.