# CrestWatt UK electrical contractor: ICP grid connections, HV substations, protection, cable termination and testing from DC to 132 kV, and commissioning to IEC 62446-1. Source: https://crestwatt.com/ Publisher: CrestWatt — Electrical contracting for utility-scale solar, storage and grid connections. Contact: info@crestwatt.com Language: en-GB ## Electrical contracting for utility-scale solar, storage and grid connections Contestable connections, HV substation packages, protection and control, cable termination from DC to 132 kV, and the testing and commissioning programme that carries a project from installation complete to energised and accepted. ## Capability - LV, MV and HV cable termination and testing to 132 kV - DC, MC4, fibre and Modbus termination - IEC 62446-1 PV commissioning - Protection secondary injection and IEC 61850 - 33 kV and 66 kV switchgear and protection supply - Electrical site supervision - O&M ## Single line — the scope under one contract The CrestWatt scope runs from the point of connection to the string: point of connection substation, HV switchgear at 33 kV and 66 kV, transformer stations, inverters, string combiner boxes and the strings themselves. The DNO retains the network side. ## Delivery to date - **72 MW** — Solar PV: data and communications commissioning across 13 transformer stations and 213 string combiner boxes. - **66/33 kV** — Grid substation: switchgear, protection relays, CTs, VTs and cable accessories supplied and integrated on a 40 MW solar farm. - **480 MW** — Three-phase solar development: PV and electrical design as framework subcontractor to a European EPC. ## Scope of work ### 01 Connect Contestable connection works from application to adoption: HV cable, point of connection substations, metering, protection and earthing to DNO specification and ENA Engineering Recommendations. ### 02 Terminate and test Cable termination and testing from DC string level to 132 kV. Heat shrink, cold shrink and separable connector terminations; MC4 assembly; fibre fusion splicing; Modbus RS-485 termination. IR, VLF, sheath, TDR, OTDR, secondary injection. ### 03 Commission Structured commissioning to IEC 62446-1 on the DC side and to DNO and owner’s engineer requirements on the AC and HV side, with every result recorded digitally against the test plan and compiled for FAC. ### 04 Operate and maintain Planned preventive maintenance, protection re-verification, thermographic survey, HV cable fault location and repair, and authorised person cover for operational plants. ## Why CrestWatt Utility-scale solar and storage projects typically split the electrical scope across four or five contractors: the ICP, the substation installer, the DC installer, the communications subcontractor and a commissioning agency. Each interface is a programme risk. CrestWatt delivers the full electrical scope under a single contract, with one test plan, one records system and one team accountable for energisation. - **Defined completion.** Scopes end at witnessed energisation and signed acceptance, with the handover pack delivered, not at mechanical completion. - **Supply and integration under one contract.** Switchgear, protection relays, CTs, VTs, cable accessories and control panels sourced through authorised distribution or vetted manufacturers, factory tested, installed and commissioned by the same engineers. - **Named methods and standards.** Every test on our schedule cites its method and acceptance criterion. Clients and DNOs know what they are witnessing before they arrive. - **Digital records from day one.** Inspections, tests and witness points are captured on site, on the day, in a structured format. The FAC pack is compiled as the work proceeds. ## Services - [ICP and Grid Connections](https://crestwatt.com/services/icp-grid-connections/): Contestable connection works, 11 kV to 132 kV, from application to DNO adoption. - [Cable Termination and Testing](https://crestwatt.com/services/cable-termination-testing/): LV, MV and HV terminations to 132 kV; DC crimping and MC4 assembly; fibre fusion splicing; Modbus RS-485 termination. IR, VLF, sheath, TDR, OTDR and certification. - [Testing and Commissioning](https://crestwatt.com/services/testing-commissioning/): IEC 62446-1 DC commissioning; AC, LV and HV pre-energisation testing; protection commissioning; SCADA point to point; witness testing; FAC compilation. - [HV Substation and Cable Works](https://crestwatt.com/services/hv-substation-cable-works/): Substation electrical packages and HV cable supply and installation, 11 kV to 132 kV, including switchgear, transformers, DC auxiliary systems and cable accessories. - [Protection, Control and Switchgear](https://crestwatt.com/services/protection-control-switchgear/): Relay, CT and VT supply; panel design, build and wiring; IEC 61850 configuration; settings; secondary and primary injection; site acceptance. - [Electrical Site Supervision and QA](https://crestwatt.com/services/site-supervision-qa/): Embedded electrical supervisors and QA engineers providing inspection, witness testing and structured digital records. - [Engineering and Grid Studies](https://crestwatt.com/services/engineering-grid-studies/): Electrical and PV design, earthing design, protection studies, load flow and fault level, G99 compliance, connection application support. - [Operations and Maintenance](https://crestwatt.com/services/operations-maintenance/): Planned preventive maintenance, protection re-verification, thermography, HV cable fault location and repair, authorised person cover. ## Sectors - **Utility-scale solar PV** (10 MW – 500 MW): Ground mount, single and multi-phase. Grid connection, substation package, DC commissioning to IEC 62446-1, AC and HV testing, communications and SCADA integration, site supervision and O&M. - **Battery energy storage** (10 MW – 100 MW and above): AC-coupled and DC-coupled. Connection, 33 kV switchgear and protection, power plant controller specification and G99 testing, protection coordination with the DNO and aggregator interface, commissioning and O&M. - **Grid connections and substations** (11 kV – 132 kV): Point of connection substations and contestable connection works for generation, storage and large demand customers. - **Industrial and commercial HV** (Private networks): HV supplies, private networks, substation upgrades, periodic HV testing and authorised person cover for industrial sites, data centres and large commercial developments.