Minimum distance between overhead power lines (concentric cables 230v) & solar panels?

[glock339]

I’ve had solar fitted to 3 sides small roofs & was supposed to be getting another 10 panels fitted to a 4th roof that has overhead cables above it, which enter my loft & connect to my meter. 

 

The job has taken much longer than anticipated by the installation company, everything was straight forward on the 2 tiled roof sides but the 1st slate roof side took several days for just 8 panels & I don't think they properly accounted for this in their quote from what they told me. Work then halted for 2 weeks while I went on holiday & on the way home I actually said to my wife that I had a feeling they might just tell us that they can't fit panels on the last slate roof due to the overhead cables (which they’d mentioned before the holiday) in order to cut their losses & not have to pay the 2 sub contracted installers for another 4 or so days just to fit 10 panels (both installers being on £250 each per day I found out). Lo & behold when we spoke to the director later on he told us NPG had told him there needs to be 2.5 meters clearance so no point in trying to fit anything to that roof & he also said something else that didn't quite make sense to me.

 

I have spoke to someone on a facebook Solar group claiming to be lead system design and power quality engineer at NGED who said there is no clearance needed for my cables which he assumed from my photos were: 95 2c ABC to 6 x 16mm Copper concentric with an open point to an underground circuit.

 

To me this means either my installers are not being truthful, or they have been given the wrong info by NPG.

 

I have just rang NPG connections department & basically I had to leave a message with a call handler who told me someone with authority would email me in 5 to 28 working days so I have absolutely no way of knowing as simply talking to someone who knows things seems to be to much to ask these days.

 

Anyone familiar with clearance regs etc?

 

Cheers.

[Temp]

Not familiar myself but it could be they are correct. I found this which suggests 0.5m or 3m between cable and roof... 

 

0.5m clearance for  roofs not normally accessed.

3.0m for accessible areas like balconies

 

Page 11 says

 

"Solar panels should be treated as normally accessible objects as per Item 1 of Table 2 in ENATS 43-08 or, where WPD is building or refurbishing a line over an existing solar farm, Item 2.1 of Table WPD 2 in Section 4 of this document."

 

https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/downloads/63817

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Temp

[glock339]

Thats some good info, much better than anything I've been able to find anyway. It seems a bit strange to me they may count solar as "normally accessible objects", especially as the installers won't do any work up there without shrouding fitted.

[glock339]

The national grid guy I've been speaking to on facebook reckons said "effectively insulated means a single layer of insulation I.e. ABC conductor (the main)" whereas mine is concentric double insulated so should not need any clearance.

 

Obviously talking to someone on facebook doesn't really help my situation & I really needed to talk to someone qualified from NPG before my solar installers pack up & leave site tomorrow but there is absolutely zero chance of that.

 

I'm fully expecting a very generic email from them within the next 28 working days that doesn't address my question as the confirmation email I got from them yesterday to tell me they'd eventually get back to me stated my question was regarding safe working distances 😑