Underground damaged cable

[Flying Wireman]

Our company got an email yesterday evening from one of the GC's we're working with, that they nicked an underground cable while digging (see attached photo). Very likely I'll have to go there today and have a look. GC mentioned that the cable is buried at 4' and is in the vicinity of a shopping center.

From what research I could do online, it seems the cable in question is an Okonite URO-J Medium voltage cable (https://tinyurl.com/yc37sehk). Our company doesn't really deal with anything like this, so where should we direct the guy? Local Poco?

 

[kwired]

Unless it is on a campus type complex or larger industrial site that does have its own MV distribution then yes it is probably a POCO line.

If they were surprised to find it, first thing is they might be lucky to be alive. Second they might want to be prepared at very least for butt chewing from POCO for not calling the one call locating system before digging.

Exposed conductor is outer concentric conductor and is a grounded conductor, the center conductor is the one with MV voltage to ground. Had they damaged the ungrounded conductor, they would have at very least left something without power, and owner of the line possibly would have been there already.

 

[infinity]

I would contact the manufuacturer and ask them how to repair it.

 

[kwired]

I would contact the manufuacturer and ask them how to repair it.

How about finding out where it goes to so you can assure it is not energized when you do make that repair? Good chance it goes to a pole top, transformer vault or junction pedestal that most of us won't have ready access to.

Now from what can be seen it possibly can be repaired with say a shrink wrap product as that outer conductor looks to just be exposed but not damaged, and it is probably a grounded conductor and the outer jacket is just a covering and not a MV insulation rated covering.