Services · Technologies and works
Procurement of equipment and materials for MV and LV networks
Getting cables, accessories, junctions and substations to site is half the battle. We procure supplies to the design and the operator's requirements — as part of the works we deliver, or as a stand-alone service for developers and general contractors.
Why it matters
The right material on site on the right day
On a cable line job, a late cable drum or a missing set of joints means crews standing idle and an outage date that has to be renegotiated with the operator. Material that does not meet the DSO's requirements may be rejected at acceptance. That is why we treat procurement as part of planning the works, not as a separate purchasing problem.
We start from a materials schedule based on the design and bill of quantities, compare it with the requirements of the operator whose network the scheme connects to, and agree delivery dates with manufacturers and distributors. Long-lead items — above all transformer substations and MV switchgear — are ordered first so they do not hold up the programme.
We deliver and unload material on site with our own transport: a Volvo FE 320 with an HMF 2120 loader crane carries cable drums, junctions and ducts, and works alongside our Tesmec ARS405 hydraulic puller when cable is being pulled in.
We offer procurement in two ways. In the first it is part of our contract — we are responsible for both the material and its installation, so the client has a single partner at the supply–installation interface. In the second we procure for a developer or general contractor who has the installation done by another firm or its own crews. Either way, the starting point is the design and the operator's requirements, and the goal is a complete, documented delivery on the date the programme demands.
- Materials schedule from the design and bill of quantities
- Checking compliance with the network operator's requirements
- Delivery dates coordinated with the works programme
- Transport and unloading with our own crane truck
Range
What we typically procure
The scope of supply always follows the design. These are the groups of materials and equipment that come up most often on MV and LV network jobs.
| Group | Examples | What we check |
|---|---|---|
| MV cables | XRUHAKXS, NA2XS(F)2Y 1×120…1×240 mm², aluminium conductors, copper screens | Conductor and screen size, drum lengths, DSO requirements |
| LV cables | 4-core aluminium cables, e.g. 4×150 mm², 4×25 mm² | Consistency with the service and junction design |
| MV cable accessories | Straight joints, indoor, outdoor and connector (separable) terminations | Match to cable type and size, complete kits |
| Cable junctions | ZKSN-type MV junctions, ZK-type LV junction cabinets | Number of ways, fit-out, bases, operator requirements |
| Transformer substations | Container (kiosk) and pole-mounted MV/LV substations, transformers, MV and LV switchgear | Lead time, transport and craneage, manufacturer documentation |
| Ducts | Corrugated and smooth protective ducts, HDPE ducts, SRS pipes for pipe jacking | Diameters and strength for bores and crossings |
| Ancillaries | Warning tape, cable markers, sand and bedding, earthing materials | Compliance with the design and acceptance details |
How we do it
Procurement in practice
Schedule from the design
We check quantities, cable lengths with allowances for joints and terminations, and the number of junctions, ducts and accessories.
DSO compliance
Every operator has its own requirements for materials and equipment. We check them before ordering, not at acceptance.
Dates that fit the programme
Deliveries are phased — what is needed first arrives first; long-lead equipment is ordered well ahead.
Own transport
The Volvo FE 320 with its loader crane moves and unloads drums, junctions and ducts without hiring a crane for smaller items.
Receipt and storage
We check deliveries against the paperwork, secure material on site and keep track of usage.
Documentation
We collect the manufacturers' declarations and documents needed for acceptance and handover into service.
Process
From schedule to installation
Design review
We verify the materials schedule in the design and bill of quantities, check the operator's requirements and any possible equivalents.
Scope of works
- Design review
- Materials list
Result
- Supply schedule
Enquiries and supplier selection
We collect offers from manufacturers and distributors, compare lead times and parameters, and agree any equivalents with the client and the designer.
Scope of works
- Supplier enquiries
- Agreeing equivalents
Result
- Suppliers selected
Orders and delivery plan
Orders are placed in the sequence set by the works programme and equipment lead times.
Scope of works
- Purchase orders
- Delivery plan
Result
- Confirmed dates
Delivery and receipt
We receive deliveries on site or at our base, check them against the order and documents, and move material to the work front.
Scope of works
- Quantity and quality checks
- Crane-truck transport
Result
- Material on site
Installation and reconciliation
Material goes into the works — installed by our crews or a contractor chosen by the client. We reconcile usage and hand over the documentation.
Scope of works
- Installation
- Materials reconciliation
Result
- Supply documentation for acceptance
Projects
Equipment we have installed
On our contracts we have laid XRUHAKXS and NA2XS(F)2Y cables, made MV joints and terminations, set ZKSN and ZK junctions and — as consortium leader for ENEA Operator — delivered three new MV/LV substations. We know this equipment from the installation and acceptance side, which matters when choosing it.
ENEA Operator — MV 20 kV network, Niegosławice
Lubuskie Voivodeship
Toruń — MV 15 kV line undergrounding
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship
Konin — RS Maliniec 15 kV switching station
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Photos
From our sites
FAQ
Procurement — frequently asked questions
Do you procure supplies without doing the works?
Yes, we can prepare and deliver the supplies for a job installed by another contractor. Most often, though, we combine supply with the works — then we are responsible for the whole and there are no disputes at the supply–installation interface.
Do you supply transformer substations?
We procure container and pole-mounted MV/LV substations from manufacturers, to the design and the operator's requirements, and can install them. More on the MV/LV substations page.
How do you know the material meets the operator's requirements?
The requirements are set by the operator whose network the scheme connects to, and by the design. We compare the materials schedule with them before ordering; any equivalents are agreed with the client and the designer.
Which MV cables do you use most?
On our contracts these have included XRUHAKXS 1×150 mm², 1×240/25 and 1×240/50 mm², and NA2XS(F)2Y 1×150/25 mm². The differences are explained in MV cables: XRUHAKXS and NA2XS(F)2Y.
Do you publish material prices?
No. Cable and equipment prices change often, so we price each supply individually from the schedule and the required date. Send a request for quotation.
See also
Related services
MV/LV substations
Construction of MV/LV transformer substations, ZKSN and LV cable junctions, replacement of pole-mounted units, MV and LV cable connections and testing.
Learn moreMV and LV cable lines
Construction, rebuilding and repair of MV 6–30 kV and LV 0.4 kV cable lines: trenching, drilling, cable laying, joints, terminations, testing and handover.
Learn moreSolar farms
Solar farm electrical infrastructure: internal MV cable network, transformer substations, MV switchgear and the line to the DSO grid. Grid connection works.
Learn moreNeed supplies procured?
Send us the materials schedule or the design — we will quote for the supply, on its own or together with the works.