Underground service

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JohnDS

Senior Member
Location
Suffolk, Long Island
Occupation
Electrician
Hello guys. I was hoping to get some insight on a future underground service. Right now there are utility poles on opposite side of street from house. The house that is getting the underground service has its own pole on property. Off that pole, is the service drop to overhead service. All the other houses also have their own pole. Homeowner does not want pole on property so i will need to shoot a bullet across road to nearest pole. Questions:

1) Besides for coordinating with utility to hook up to riser, do i need to check with village/town before i shoot?

2) a-Where would I find someone who has equipment to shoot?
b-Do they use a pipe sleeve under roadway or just pull my wires? I am using direct burial feeders.

3) This will be for a 400a service. I plan to use aluminum triplex. I believe if reading 310.15 correctly that 700kcmil will be proper for this. Is this correct?
Thanks.

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Iron_Ben

Senior Member
Location
Lancaster, PA
Underground service

Well, every municipality and POCO has their own rules so any answers need to be somewhat general if we don't know who the players are.

Really, you need to start with the power company and follow their lead. As far as boring under a road without permission, the road owner is likely to crucify you if they find out, and rightly so. I've seen it happen. As the POCO, we had to make a formal request and provide drawings to cross under city or county roads. After that, approval was usually, not always, a cinch. To cross state roads, overhead or underground, we needed permits, stamped drawings, and much more. Many hoops needed to be jumped through. It took one month at best and usually 3 to 6.

As far as conductor size, we served most "400 amp" underground residential services with 4/0 ACSR and some with our biggest, 350 MCM. Of course, as the power company we were not constrained by the NEC. If the power company will own the wire under the road (if it's ahead of the meter that is) it's their call. They will likely just tell you what size pipe they want. We pulled our 350 triplex in nothing but 3".

Lastly, as far as questions 2a and 2b, maybe try "boring contractors" or some such. We used several. They would make the bore and then pull back roll pipe or stick pipe. Later, our crews came and pulled in the conductors and terminated.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
As has been said, contact POCO first. Does no good to make plans then have them say they won't connect it unless you do it the way they want it done.

Also as been said contact city, county, state that owns the road you wish to cross. Some have complex process to get approval to cross others are farily easy, but most all at least need some notification of your intentions.

Boring contractors may do all the paperwork needed or they may not. Ultimately the property owner is likely who gets in trouble for installing the line without proper permission, but he may in turn drag you into litigation over it.
 
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