How Far Can Your Private Power Pole Be From the Street? Sydney Span and Length Limits Explained

How far can your private power pole actually be from the street before the rules change? For an overhead service the maximum span is 50 metres for connections up to 100A and 30 metres for anything bigger, and for an underground service the maximum length is 50 metres provided the connection point sits at your main switchboard. Go beyond either limit and the distributor steps in to decide exactly where your connection point lands, which can change your whole pole or pit layout before you even order equipment.

⚡ Quick Answers: Private Power Pole Span and Length Limits

• How far can an overhead private pole service run? Up to 50 metres for a service rated 100A or less, dropping to 30 metres for anything larger, measured as the span between the distributor's pole and your connection point.
• What about an underground run from a pit or pole to the switchboard? The total underground service length is capped at 50 metres, as long as the connection point is established at your main switchboard rather than somewhere else on the property.
• What happens if my block is deeper than that? The distributor nominates a different connection point, typically a private pit or pillar near the front boundary, rather than letting the cable run the full distance to your switchboard.
• Does a longer run always mean thicker cable? Often yes. Span and length limits are separate from voltage drop rules, and a long run can fail on drop well before it fails on distance alone.
• Can the distributor approve a longer span anyway? Yes, on a case by case basis with written approval, but you cannot assume it and should never design around an exception that has not been granted.
• Does any of this affect what the job costs? Yes. A relocated connection point, an extra pit, or a second pole to break up a long run all add material and labour on top of a standard installation.

1. The overhead span limit: 50 metres, dropping to 30

Under Clause 3.5.1 of the Service and Installation Rules of New South Wales, the maximum span for an overhead service is 50 metres where the service is rated 100A or less. Once the service rating climbs above 100A, that maximum drops to 30 metres, reflecting the extra weight, tension and clearance a heavier conductor needs over a longer unsupported run.

This span is measured from the distributor's own pole or point of attachment through to your connection point, whether that connection point sits on the house itself or on a private pole further back on the block. On a standard suburban lot the distance rarely gets close to either figure, but on a deep block, a rear lot behind another dwelling, or an acreage property, 50 metres disappears quickly once you account for the actual geometry of the site.

2. The underground length limit: 50 metres to the main switchboard

The Rules set a matching limit for underground services: the maximum total length is 50 metres, provided the connection point is established at your main switchboard. That 50 metre figure covers the whole run from the point of common coupling through to the switchboard, not just the visible trench across your own yard.

This is one of the practical reasons so many overhead to underground conversions on larger blocks end up with a private pole or pit partway along the route rather than one continuous buried run from the street to the house.

3. What happens when your block exceeds the limit

If the point of common coupling sits on your property and the underground service would exceed 50 metres, the Rules do not simply allow a longer cable and call it done. Instead, the distributor nominates the location of the connection point, usually a private pit or pillar near the front property alignment rather than at your main switchboard.

From that nominated point, the remaining distance back to your switchboard becomes underground consumer mains on your side of the connection, which you own and maintain, rather than part of the regulated service itself. That distinction matters for who pays for future repairs and who you call if a fault develops years later.

4. Why this comes up most on battleaxe blocks, acreage and rear lots

Private poles exist in the first place largely because a straight run to the street is not always possible or practical. A battleaxe block with a long access handle, an acreage property with real distance between the road and the house, or a rear lot sitting behind another dwelling are the three situations where span and length limits bite hardest, because the physical distance to the street was long before power was even considered.

On these sites, the pole position is not just about aesthetics or convenience. It has to be chosen so the span from the distributor's network back to the pole, and then from the pole to the house, both sit inside the limits, or so a second connection point is planned for from the start rather than discovered halfway through construction.

5. Can you apply for an exception?

Yes. Both the overhead span and the underground length limits can be exceeded with the distributor's written approval, assessed on a case by case basis. In practice this usually means submitting the specific site conditions, the proposed route, and sometimes a structural engineer's assessment of pole strength over the longer span, rather than a quick phone call.

What you cannot do is design or quote a job assuming an exception will be granted. Until it is approved in writing, the default limits apply, and a Level 2 ASP will plan the job against the standard 50 and 30 metre figures unless an approval is already in hand.

6. How span and length limits interact with cable sizing

Span and length limits are a separate test from voltage drop, and a cable can pass one and fail the other. A long run that technically sits inside the 50 metre underground limit can still need a larger conductor than a shorter run of the same rating, purely to keep voltage drop within the 3 percent the service is allowed to lose along its length. This is one of several reasons a private pole job is priced on the actual site and run length rather than a flat rate, and why the cable size on your quote might be larger than the one on a neighbour's job with a similar amp rating.

7. Planning your pole position around these limits

The practical takeaway for anyone installing a new private pole, subdividing a block, or converting from overhead to underground is to have the pole or pit position assessed against these limits before anything is ordered. A pole set too far back, or a connection point assumed at the switchboard when the distributor will actually nominate one closer to the boundary, can mean redesigning the run, adding a pit, or in some cases moving the pole itself.

This is also where checking which distributor services your address matters. Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy apply the same Service and Installation Rules of New South Wales, but their own design standards and approval processes for exceptions can differ in practice, so it pays to check your network area in seconds with our postcode checker before you get too far into planning.

Why it's Level 2 ASP work

Assessing span and length against the Rules, applying for a distributor exception, and choosing where a connection point lands are all Level 2 Accredited Service Provider work. A standard electrician cannot make these calls or submit the paperwork, because the connection point and everything on the network side of it belongs to the distributor's own approval process, not general electrical work.

How High Demand Electrical helps

High Demand Electrical is one of Sydney's most trusted Level 2 ASPs for private power pole work, and we deal with span, length and voltage drop calculations on every deep block, acreage property and rear lot job we quote. We are a licensed local team, not a call centre, and we service properties across Sydney's West, South West, Inner West and Sutherland Shire where these longer run scenarios are common.

Before we quote a new private power pole installation, we assess the actual span and length your site needs, check whether a standard connection point will work or whether the distributor is likely to nominate one closer to the boundary, and size the cable for both the distance and the voltage drop allowance, not just the amp rating. If your block needs a new pole as part of a subdivision or a long acreage overhead line, this planning happens before anything goes in the ground.

Private Power Pole Span and Length FAQs (Sydney)

Does every private pole need distributor approval for its position?

Yes. The connection point and the route back to your switchboard are both assessed against the Rules, and anything exceeding the standard span or length limits needs written distributor approval before work proceeds. See private power pole installation.

What if my existing pole or run already exceeds these limits?

Older installations are sometimes grandfathered, but any upgrade, replacement or defect rectification on that connection will usually need it brought into line with the current limits, which can mean relocating the connection point as part of the job.

Does a longer span or run cost more?

Generally yes, because a longer run often needs a larger conductor for voltage drop, may need an additional pit or pillar, and can require a structural assessment for pole strength over the extra distance. See what network extensions to a private pole cost.

Can two shorter poles be used instead of one long run?

In some cases, yes, particularly on acreage or very deep blocks where a single span or run genuinely cannot meet the limits. This needs to be assessed against the Rules and agreed with the distributor rather than assumed.

How do I know if I'm on the Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy network?

Both distributors apply the same core Service and Installation Rules, but their approval processes for exceptions and connection point placement can differ. Check your network area in seconds with our postcode checker before planning a longer run.

Get a Private Power Pole Quote

If your block is deep, irregular, or further from the street than a standard suburban lot, get a private power pole quote from a Level 2 ASP who will check span, length and voltage drop before anything is ordered. Call High Demand Electrical on 0402 559 777. Every job needs a site assessment before scope or pricing can be confirmed, since the final layout depends on your specific block and connection point.

For a terrace or inner west specific take on private poles and rear lane access, see HD Inner West's guide to private power poles on inner west terraces. For general Level 2 ASP background, see the main site's Level 2 electrician Sydney guide.