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Accidental damage to Guernsey’s electricity’s cable network continues to fall but Guernsey Electricity is urging people to check before they undertake any ground excavating or building work.
Guernsey Electricity’s free online ClickB4UDig service was launched in 2011 allowing contractors could check the location of cables before they start work to avoid damage to cables and the risk of disruption to power supplies and injuries. The service proved so successful that later that year it was made available to members of the public. Guernsey Electricity also maintains a dialb4udig service where customer can call in and collect plans or have them emailed to them.
Alan Bates, chief executive of Guernsey Electricity, said the service was having a positive impact in reducing the number of incidents with 38 in 2015 but only 19 this year to date.
‘There are around 1,000 miles of underground electricity cables in Guernsey. The island’s road network is only around 345 miles in total. This means that many cables are located on private land so there is a real risk of people hitting cables if they don’t check their location before they start work,’ he said.
‘Some cables can be buried just below the surface so a simple project such as putting up a new fence, laying decking or a patio or planting trees could risk damage to a cable. Damage to cables can result in serious injury, expensive repair bills, disruption to power supplies and road closures and so as a responsible company, we do everything we can to minimise these risks.’
Mr Bates said he was delighted that the company’s investment in the service was delivering results.
‘This year already we have seen an 8% increae in the number of searches which in turn has led to a significant decrease in the number of incidents. However, we know that lots of people will be planning home and garden improvements over the winter and so we want to ensure that we don’t see a sudden increase as a result.’
