Find out where the underground cabling is before starting excavation work
Planning excavation work? Before you get started, make sure that there are no underground cables on the excavation route. Cables can get damaged during excavation work. Damage to the electricity network causes a safety hazard and a power outage for hundreds, maybe thousands of households. When damage occurs, the costs are covered by the party that caused it.
Excavation permit notice electronically free of charge
Excavation work requires a cable assessment and permission to commence the excavation work. You can submit an excavation permit notice free of charge at Kaivulupa.fi. You will receive a map package to your email, including the marked locations of electric cables in the excavation area. If there are electric cables nearby, you must request a demonstration of cable locations. The demonstration is free of charge as long as you order it with a 5-day delivery period. You can also call the phone service at Kaivulupa.fi: 0800 133 544 Mon–Fri 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
Submit the excavation permit notice electronically
Once you have registered for the service, you will receive your credentials in 1–2 business days. What to do:
- Go to the electronic service here.
- Enter the street address and city of the excavation place.
- You can see the excavation location on the map and zoom closer.
- Log into the service using your credentials.
- Enter the excavation location information. You can see the excavation location on the map and zoom closer if necessary.
- Request a cable report, and you will receive the map package by email.
- If there are cables near where you are planning to dig, request a demonstration of cable locations. The service is free subject to a 5-day delivery period. Quick deliveries in less than 5 days as well as repeated demonstrations performed at the same location within a two-week period are subject to a EUR 220 service charge. The demonstration of cable locations includes marking the cable locations on the ground. You must be present for this.
You can also submit an excavation permit notice without registering for the service, in which case you will be contacted by the cable owner.
Remember to maintain a safe distance to the cable
Remember to maintain a safe distance to a live cable when you start digging. The minimum safety distance is 1–2 m, depending on the voltage level of the cable.
In the event that you hit an overhead line or cable with a work machine
The damaged cable or overhead line may remain live or it may become live again.
- Initially, you are safe inside the vehicle
- Disconnect the work machine from the cable or line or remove the digger bucket from the excavation
- If the work machine catches fire or if its tyres are smoking, jump out with both feet together
- Do not touch the work machine and the ground at the same time
- Move away from the work machine jumping on one leg such that only one foot touches the ground at any given time
- The safety zone begins at a distance of 20 m from the site of the accident
- Immediately call our outage management service at 0800 100 100, even if there is no visible damage to the cable or line
- Prevent outsiders from entering the area until it has been made safe