A third-party highways contractor struck a buried LV cable on a residential estate on the eastern outskirts of Northampton, taking around eighty homes off supply. The DNO needed a jointer on site, and our usual local supplier was tied up on another emergency.
We mobilised from Letchworth — on site within 90 minutes including kit prep. Joint built, tested and supply restored by 17:00.
What the job involved
- Site assessment and cable identification with the DNO field engineer.
- Damaged section cut out and prepared for jointing.
- Cold-shrink straight joint built and tested.
- Re-energisation under DNO sanction.
- Pit backfilled and temporary reinstatement before nightfall.
Key challenges
- Damaged cable's outer was torn beyond the strike point — prep was longer than usual.
- Pit was waterlogged — pumping out before any jointing could start.
- Residential audience watching from across the road — full safety briefing required.
Outcome
- Supply restored to all eighty properties by 17:00.
- DNO added us to their emergency cover roster for the Northants area.
- Permanent reinstatement returned the following week to HAUC spec.
Quickest response we got that afternoon. Cable joint was textbook and we were out before anyone had to call the customer relations team.
— DNO Field Engineer, Northampton, Northamptonshire
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