New electricity connection

[Troopers]

Having applied for a change from temporary supply to permanent supply we have had an estimate from ERDF for over 6000 euros. This includes a cost of 2525 euros for digging a trench from the house to the road for an underground cable simply so that EDF can read meter at roadside, they state that we cannot dig the trench ourselves. Is this usual as trench is on our land and is it compulsory to have meter at roadside? ( the present overhead cable runs within 3 meters of house!) Has anyone encountered similar problems?

 

[gosub]

I think it is unusual, normaly  property owners organise their own trench for the EDF Gaine and supply cable. You would need an electrician to connect the supply at both ends, because EDF will require a certificate before they will connect you to the mains.

 

[just john]

It sounds like you prefer the EDF meter on your property which will seriously cost you, but it is quite usual for EDF to end the supply at the roadside in their Meter, we were then advised that our local ground work contractor would dig the trench and insert the cable (two weights of cable; he suggested the heavier duty; quoted around €1000 all in, for about 40m), local electrician would then connect one end to the consumer unit in the house and the other end to a fuse box alongside the EDF meter at the roadside and he would then arrange for EDF to connect their meter to his fusebox.
Job done[8-|]

[Troopers]

Hi, thanks for your reply.  Its the edf who want the meter at the bottom of the drive, we have a temp supply to house which comes from edf pole 3 metres away from house, the highway is about 67metres away from the temp supply.  The erdf want to charge us 2525 euros to dig a trench from the high way back to temporary supply they won't let us dig the trench and yet they will allow us to dig a trench from the meter back to the house on the same route.

[BJSLIV]

Somethings a bit odd.

The Edf supply to your main connection box should be in the public domain, hence they have to do the digging. The main connection and fuse also has to be at the edge of the private land.

From there to the meter ( which will be inside your house) you can arrange the digging and laying of a duct with drawrope. They then bring the supply to the box at the edge of your property and pull a cable through from there to reach the fuse board and meter inside your property. They also run a wire the other way from the meter  back to a device at the box on the roadside which allows them to read the meter without entering the property

It's unlikely that the feed will be going from near your house, to the road, and then back again.

I suspect that you have some sort of temporary overhead feed, but that the permanent supply will come from elsewhere, probably at the other end of your existing temporary supply!

I think you will find that the 2500 euros is to connect from the edge of your property to wherever the nearest supply is available, not for the work within your land. they will quote for doing the digging on your land, but as others have said its usually cheaper to arrange this part yourself. the bit outside your land is their monopoly.

 

 

 

[AnOther]

I have a sense that Just John's signature might be looked on as prophetic on this occasion [:'(]

[Troopers]

I agree that it seems odd but the plan from ERDF clearly shows that the supply is to come from the elec pole a few metres from the house, it doesn't make sense to take an armoured cable down to road and back again!!! 

[just john]

Our local electrician explained that the problem is that EDF do not want to maintain overhead supply's anymore (new under ground supplies are the plan) and want to be able to zap meters for billing from the road (without leaving their renaults). New properties around this area and remade temporary supplies have an EDF meter by the roadside. You can arrange for your own cable installation from property to this meter but only if it connected via a second fusebox alongside installed by a French registered electrician, (since the other end is connected to your consumer unit in your property it should not be necessary to visit the fusebox by the roadside.) I'm surprised that whoever did your new electrical installation was not aware of this possibility. I hate to say that if your temporary meter is being changed to a permanent arrangement it is also possible EDF may want your electrical installation to pass an approval inspection by an independent conseil especially if you inform EDF that it has been completely rewired. Good Luck [8-|]

[Troopers]

I agree it does seem odd but the plan from ERDF clearly shows that they intend taking the supply from an elec pole a few metres from the house so it does seem odd to take armoured cable from the house to the road , also all the digging is on our land. 

[BJSLIV]

So it does beg the question of why you have an Edf supply already on your land.

Does the supply 3 metres from your property only supply you or is it a "through route"?

Was it previously supplying your property, or it's predecessor?

Is there an alternative supply nearer the proposed Edf box at the edge of the property?

 

 

[Troopers]

The supply is only a through route (there are houses on either sides of our property) and the property has never had an electricity supply , it has been uninhabited for many years. According to the plan, there is no alternative supply near the proposed box.