§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2000,Official Report, column 524W, what is the expected life of electricity cabling. [107111]
§ Mrs. LiddellElectricity cables do not have a single age at which they cease to be functional; instead there is a range of ages. As could be seen in my previous answer, it is not uncommon for cables to be installed and functioning for well in excess of 50 years. From information collected at the time of the last review of distribution companies, the "age" at which cables are replaced ranges from about 45 years to over 100 years.
As with all assets, cables are replaced on condition and not just because they reach a certain age.