Some companies like to talk about successful projects, and we know that there are really a lot of such projects, and this is very important for our industry. However, successful projects do not teach us much, and, in fact, it is much more interesting to study the mistakes that were made during the realization of the “unsuccessful” project. It is a pity that information about mistakes is usually hidden from us. With the cost of a cable line reaching 1 million euros for every 1 km (cost of cables and installation), it is definitely better to learn from other people’s mistakes rather than your own.

The photos show a 110 kV cable that was laid in an open trench at the bottom of a concrete trough in the city, in the middle of an asphalt roadway. However, it is clear that the edges of the trench were not sufficiently secured, which led to its collapse and the fall of a large piece of asphalt on the cable. Fortunately, the cable outer sheath did not receive any through damage (as seen in the right photo), but, as we know, it is not always like that.

There is another story from the same 110 kV project, which is sadder – a worker stood on the bottom of the trench and asked another worker standing at the top to hand him a shovel down. The one on top, of course, had to pass the shovel down from hand to hand. However, instead, the top worker decided to throw the shovel down to the trench, and it hit the cable, and serious repair of the 110 kV outer sheath was required there (because there was a deep through cut, up to the copper wired screen).

What conclusion can be drawn?

Dear big bosses from beautiful offices, red ribbon-cutters! Please, when you count millions of euros which come for cable projects, do not forget to put aside a piece of this money:
1) For staff training.
2) For the purchase of appropriate equipment.
3) For the proper preparation of trenches and the safety of work.
4) For the presence of a chief engineer, or preferably several of them.

Talking about mistakes is more difficult than talking about successes.