Distribution Utilities

Underground cable systems are expanding as utilities face pressure to underground overhead lines, integrate distributed energy resources, and serve growing urban demand. Yet the connection points in these systems — splices and terminations — remain largely unmonitored between scheduled diagnostic visits.

These connection points are where most failures occur. Cable failure rates across utility systems typically range from 0.7 to 2 failures per 100 miles per year, with joints and terminations representing a disproportionate share. Each failure triggers an outage, a truck roll, emergency repair costs, and impacts to SAIDI and CAIFI metrics that regulators track closely.

Grid congestion and infrastructure bottlenecks are already creating problems — in the UK alone, grid congestion costs may reach £2.5 billion per year by 2030. As grids grow more complex and cable systems age, the cost of operating blind underground is increasing.