Locate a cable

Top Energy will be closed over the holiday period from 20 December 2024 to 6 January 2025.

We will address any faults during this time.

The last day to submit a close approach, high load, or cable locate application is Friday, 6 December 2024.

We will accept applications again from Monday, 8 January 2025. We'll need a minimum of five working days to process your application. Work start dates before Monday, 13 January 2025, will be automatically declined.

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A cable location application engages Top Energy to mark the location of underground electricity cables before you dig or excavate to ensure your work is undertaken safely and to avoid any costly damage to the electricity cables.

We need a minimum of 5 working days to approve your application. Submit your application below. Complex jobs such as a large sub-division may take longer and require additional resource time and cost.

We do not charge to locate our own cables. If you want us to provide location services for cables on private property, such as your service cable, the charge is $138 per hour, including GST (minimum charge of $138).

You, as the applicant or your contractor, are required to be on-site when the cables are being located and marked. This is to ensure that the marked-out area is correct and to confirm that you fully understand the mark-out and your obligations. Top Energy will call you to make an appointment.

Same-day cancellations or failure to be on-site at the appointed time will generate a $138 fee.

The process

For your planning purposes, we are registered with the BeforeUDig service. Registered customers using this service will receive a plan for our nearby assets. This plan can be used to mark out where you intend to dig, which can then be uploaded as part of your cable locate process application.

We will review our records and provide a plan indicating the approximate location of electrical cables at the worksite location. We then spray paint on the ground the approximate location (but not the depth) determined using an electronic cable locator.

Locating cables has many variables.

The position is subject to reasonable tolerance and may not be directly below the marked area; and the depth of cover may also have changed since installation as ground levels are altered;

The applicant or their contractor must verify the position of cables before excavating; this must be done with careful potholing by hand digging. Top Energy can provide a quote for this service.

The spray paint markings on the ground are only valid for a maximum of 30 days or until they are not clearly visible due to spray paint deterioration, whichever occurs first. If work has not proceeded after 30 days or the markings have disappeared, you will be required to apply for another cable location request.