Electric Supply via a BT Pole

Oly

Well-Known Member
As some of you already know - I've been rather busy of late starting a new project...taking on a derelict farm for demolition & rebuilding.

I'm presently trying to relocate the electric in the cheapest/most effective manner - the option I want to progress is for the electric network supplier (Scottish Power) to relocate our supply onto an existing nearby telephone pole where it can then go underground to the house/barn. From speaking to BT they have no problems with this and are even sending a guy out to look into whether any of their services need alterations to incorporate this change. However, Scottish Power state that whilst BT are allowed to use their poles, they are not allowed to use BT poles.

Has anyone any experience of this? It seems a bit of a mad situation, and I don't know why Scottish Power (with me funding it!) can't just effectively buy the BT pole if need be rather than installing another unsightly pole or digging up the road to install underground lines at a massive expense to myself.

Cheers,
Oly
 
As some of you already know - I've been rather busy of late starting a new project...taking on a derelict farm for demolition & rebuilding.

I'm presently trying to relocate the electric in the cheapest/most effective manner - the option I want to progress is for the electric network supplier (Scottish Power) to relocate our supply onto an existing nearby telephone pole where it can then go underground to the house/barn. From speaking to BT they have no problems with this and are even sending a guy out to look into whether any of their services need alterations to incorporate this change. However, Scottish Power state that whilst BT are allowed to use their poles, they are not allowed to use BT poles.

Has anyone any experience of this? It seems a bit of a mad situation, and I don't know why Scottish Power (with me funding it!) can't just effectively buy the BT pole if need be rather than installing another unsightly pole or digging up the road to install underground lines at a massive expense to myself.

Cheers,
Oly

Oly Dependant on where the pole is located it could be that there is a Wayleave in place that permits BT to access and maintain the pole/lines, however, this does not extend to SP and they would need to apply to the owner of the ground and put in place a new WL which involves solicitors. Secondly, SP in my experince will not take on the pole as they cannot verify that it has been installed correctly i.e depth, condition of buried section etc and as such would not warrant any defects or damaged if it were to collapse. SP are a royal pain in the a*se but you cannot get round it as they are BIGGER than everyone!!
 
Thanks for that - I don't think that wayleaves should be a problem though as the present poles are in public land (hedges/verges).
 
It's not public land Oly. It is owned by the relevant authority. That will be the Highways Authority for major roads and trunk, or more likely the local authority (county council/unitary authority or equivalent) for all other roads. It may also be that the hedge/verge is actually owned privately.
 
Thanks for the advice so far - I think my only other option would be a 600m soft dig up the lane in the verge/field...but that would probably be more costly than under the road!!
 
Apply to the local authority for a section 50 license this would allow you to place apparatus in the highway you would then need to use an approved authority contractor to work in the public highway then dig the trench yourself on your land it comes under the new roads and street works act
 
Overhead is always the cheapest option. Scottish power will not use any other pole belonging to B.T etc as if a linesman was to get injured in any way climbing this pole it would result in a massive lawsuit. As was already mentioned, S.P could not could not confirm the state of this pole, age, condition etc. B.T lines also normally follow hedge lines and so their poles are not very tall where electricity poles tend to cross country and are normally taller and more robust. The ones near to the roadside are normally even taller to give the lines more height as they cross the road. It is also possible that the pole near your property would have a pole mounted transformer on it to step down the power from 11kv to 230v single phase or 415v three phase. If you choose to go underground then you will have the expense of S.P having to line tap onto the o/h cable and then going underground with armoured cable which costs a lot more than o/h cable. Hope this helps you to decide which way to go but whichever way you go, it wont be cheap.
 
As some of you already know - I've been rather busy of late starting a new project...taking on a derelict farm for demolition & rebuilding.

I'm presently trying to relocate the electric in the cheapest/most effective manner - the option I want to progress is for the electric network supplier (Scottish Power) to relocate our supply onto an existing nearby telephone pole where it can then go underground to the house/barn. From speaking to BT they have no problems with this and are even sending a guy out to look into whether any of their services need alterations to incorporate this change. However, Scottish Power state that whilst BT are allowed to use their poles, they are not allowed to use BT poles.

Has anyone any experience of this? It seems a bit of a mad situation, and I don't know why Scottish Power (with me funding it!) can't just effectively buy the BT pole if need be rather than installing another unsightly pole or digging up the road to install underground lines at a massive expense to myself.

Cheers,
Oly
Either buy another pole or hire a mole for your road crossing, and dig the rest to the property you dont say where in the country you are getting poles is not a problem .
 
Even if you mole it under the carriageway you still need a section 50 license from your local highway authority and use an approved contractor ! you wont need armored cable if you put it in a plastic duct
 
The difference between another pole or mole under the road is £2.5k versus £3k if I went with scot power. A licensed third party will do it sub £1k under the road but scot power still want £1k to do the final connection (which only they can do). They're prices are supposed to be regulated...but are still a massive rip off as they think they have the market to themselves...
 
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