Connecting Underground Power From an Overhead Street Pole in Sydney: UGOH Rules Explained

Can you connect an underground power supply from an existing overhead street pole in Sydney? Yes, this is called an Underground Supply from Overhead Reticulation, or UGOH, and it is the standard way many Sydney properties on overhead reticulated streets get an underground connection without a brand new street pole being built. The catch is that each distributor pole can only carry a limited number of these underground cables, and once that limit is reached the next connection has to go through a footpath pillar instead, usually at that customer's own cost.

⚡ Quick Answers: Underground Supply From an Overhead Pole (UGOH)

• What does UGOH actually mean? It stands for Underground Supply from Overhead Reticulation: an underground cable that runs up the side of an existing overhead distributor pole to connect to the overhead network above it.
• How many underground cables can one pole carry? A standard line pole can carry up to three UGOH cables under 70mm². A transformer pole or an air break switch pole is limited to one.
• What happens once a pole is full? The next customer needing a connection has to pay for a footpath pillar or pit instead, at a cost equal to what it would have taken to extend the UGOH onto the pole.
• Can you use a Telstra or transformer pole for an underground connection? Only as an absolute last resort, and only with the distributor's written agreement. A brand new lead in pole can never be built purely for an underground service.
• Does the cable just get strapped to the outside of the pole? No. It needs a close fitting mechanical guard running from 300mm below ground to 2.5m up the pole, and non metallic conduit where the pole also carries high voltage earthing.
• Who decides if UGOH is even possible for your property? The distributor, after your Level 2 ASP applies on your behalf and the pole is inspected for both capacity and physical condition.

1. Why UGOH exists in the first place

Most of Sydney's older suburbs, including large parts of the areas HD Power Pole services, are still reticulated by overhead lines running pole to pole down the street. Not every property on one of these streets wants an overhead service to their own building, particularly on a battle axe block, a subdivided rear lot, or a renovation that has moved the point of attachment somewhere an overhead run no longer makes sense. The Service and Installation Rules of NSW solve this with the UGOH provision: an underground cable climbs the existing overhead pole and taps into the network above it, rather than the distributor building a brand new pole purely to serve one property.

This is different from a full overhead to underground conversion, which replaces an existing overhead supply to a property that already has one. UGOH is usually the first connection method considered for a new or altered underground service on a street that is otherwise still overhead.

2. The pole has to be the nearest one, and it gets inspected first

UGOH rules require the underground service to come off the nearest existing distributor pole rather than one further down the street, and no new street pole can be erected just to create an underground tap. Before approving the connection, the distributor can inspect the pole itself, since the pole has to be structurally sound enough to carry the extra cable and its mechanical protection, on top of whatever overhead load it already carries. If you are not sure which network reticulates your street in the first place, check your network area in seconds with our postcode checker before applying.

3. How many connections a single pole can actually carry

This is the part most homeowners never think to ask about until their application comes back with an unexpected cost attached. A standard line pole can carry up to three UGOH cables rated under 70mm² before it is considered full. A pole that also carries a distribution transformer or an air break switch is limited to one, because there is less physical room and a tighter safety clearance around that equipment. Once a pole already has UGOH cables on it, the number of further connections it can take drops with each one added, and conductors larger than 70mm² are only allowed where the distributor's own construction standards specifically provide for it.

If your street has already seen several underground connections go in over the years, perhaps from townhouse developments or earlier subdivisions, the pole nearest your own block may already be at or close to capacity before you even apply. It is worth budgeting on the same basis as our guide to private power pole installation costs, since a full pole pushing you to a pillar connection changes the numbers considerably.

4. What happens once the limit is reached

When a pole is already carrying its maximum number of UGOH cables, the next customer needing a connection does not simply get refused. Instead, the distributor installs a footpath pillar or pit in the road reserve, and the new underground service connects there instead of climbing the pole directly. The cost of building that pillar falls on the customer whose connection pushed the pole past its limit, calculated as the additional cost they would otherwise have paid to extend the UGOH onto the pole itself. This is worth knowing before you budget a new connection as a simple, cheap tap off the street pole, since the actual cost depends on what every earlier connection on that same pole has already used up.

5. Poles you cannot use except as an absolute last resort

Three categories of pole are deliberately avoided for new UGOH connections wherever possible: poles carrying a distribution transformer, poles carrying an air break switch, and poles belonging to another authority altogether, most commonly a Telstra or NBN communications pole. All three can technically be used, but only with the distributor's written agreement and only when there is genuinely no practical alternative. On top of that, a brand new lead in pole can never be erected purely to support an underground service, and an existing lead in pole can only be used for one if it already carries at least one other attachment, such as a streetlight or another utility's service.

6. How the cable itself has to be installed up the pole

A UGOH cable is not simply run up the outside of a timber or concrete pole unprotected. For conductors up to 70mm², the cable needs a close fitting mechanical guard from 300mm below ground level to 2.5m up the pole, installed in flexible conduit that must be non metallic wherever the pole also carries high voltage earthing, to avoid creating a parallel earth path. Where the conductors are larger than 70mm², the installation has to follow the distributor's own construction standards and approved materials list for that specific situation, rather than the general UGOH detail. Getting this wrong is one of the more common reasons a Notification of Service Work gets queried before an underground connection is approved.

How High Demand Electrical Power Pole helps

As one of Sydney's most experienced Level 2 ASP teams working specifically on private pole and overhead to underground connections, we check pole capacity and condition with Ausgrid or Endeavour Energy before you commit to a UGOH application, not after. If the nearest pole turns out to already be full, we will tell you honestly what a footpath pillar connection actually costs rather than letting you discover it partway through the job. We handle the full application, inspection liaison, mechanical protection installation and Notification of Service Work for homes and businesses across Sydney, including properties that already have, or are considering removing, their own private pole on a rear lane block.

UGOH Connection FAQs (Sydney)

Is UGOH cheaper than a full overhead service?

Often, yes, when the nearest pole has spare capacity, since no new street pole or extended overhead run is needed. See our guide to overhead to underground power pole conversion for the full cost picture when a pillar is needed instead.

Can I choose UGOH even if a normal overhead connection would work fine?

You can generally request an underground service over an overhead one, but you may have to cover any extra cost the distributor incurs as a result.

Does UGOH apply to a private power pole on my own property?

UGOH specifically describes tapping an existing distributor pole in the street. If your own property has, or needs, its own private power pole, that is a separate installation covered under different rules, including whether you still actually need one at all.

Who finds out if the pole near my block is already full?

Your Level 2 ASP applies to the distributor on your behalf, and the distributor confirms the pole's remaining capacity as part of that application, before any cable is run.

Does subdividing a block change any of this?

It often does, particularly on a battle axe or rear lot split. See our guide to subdividing your block and private power poles for how that interacts with both UGOH and private pole requirements.

👉 Get a Private Power Pole Quote → Call 0402 559 777. Every job starts with a site assessment, since the right connection method and its real cost depend on the actual pole, street and property in front of us.