Cable Route design with Premier Energy’s Utility Search and PALM 128 Utility Map

Premier Energy were contacted by a large civil engineering contractor delivering renewable energy projects across the UK. In 2024, they were appointed to design and construct a 13.5 km 11kV cable route linking a large renewable energy project to the local distribution network in Suffolk.

The Challenge

The proposed route crossed a variety of environments — from open countryside through to a suburban area. This presented three key challenges:

• High utility congestion: The cable route crossed a congested urban area making the discovery of all existing utilities in the vicinity a key consideration.
• Programme pressure: The client had just eight weeks to finalise the design and secure permissions before on-site work began.
• Stakeholder sensitivity: With businesses, schools, and homes along the route, avoiding disruption was a top priority.

The client needed a clear understanding of all existing utilities to design a safe and efficient route — and they turned to Premier Energy for support.

The Solution:

Comprehensive Utility Search Report

Premier Energy delivered a Utility Search Report, collating data from all major statutory undertakers and network operators — including electricity, gas, water, telecoms, fibre, and specialist pipeline operators. Delivered as a single, comprehensive report within 10 working days, this saved the client the time and complexity of contacting multiple asset owners individually.

PALM 128 Utility Map

The client also requested a PALM 128 Utility Map. This mapping  product – also delivered after 10 working days -overlays all the utility data onto an OS Mastermap base, providing a consolidated, at-a-glance view of all underground assets.

The PALM 128 Utility Map allowed our clients engineers to:

• Identify potential clashes between the proposed cable alignment and existing buried services.
• Highlight safe corridors for trenching in congested areas.
• Re-route the design early to avoid a high-pressure gas main and an oil pipeline flagged in the Utility Search.
• The PALM Utility Map was delivered in PDF, DWG and GIS formats.

The Results

The Utility Search and Premier Energy Layered Map delivered tangible benefits:

• Design and planning : Early identification of zones of utility congestion and oil pipelines allowed engineers to design around these significant constraints.
• Programme certainty: It was critical that the project was complete on schedule and the client provided very positive feedback on the 10 day turnaround time for  both the Utility Search Report and the PALM 128 Utility Map.
• Cost avoidance: By re-routing early, the client avoided a costly gas main diversion, protecting project budgets by an estimated £80,000.

Conclusion

By engaging Premier Energy at the outset, the client gained the clarity needed to make confident design decisions. The combination of a Utility Search Report and a PALM 128 Utility Map turned a high-risk, congested environment into a manageable, well-planned route — enabling the project to keep on time and on budget.