Category 09 · medium & high voltage
We buy 5kV to 69kV cable
Primary distribution and substation cable, where voltage class, insulation and test history decide the value. Utility reels, plant feeders and cancelled projects.
Voltage class is the first question
Medium-voltage cable is a different product from 600-volt building wire, with different insulation, shielding, terminations and buyers. The voltage class — 5kV, 8kV, 15kV, 25kV, 35kV or 69kV and above — is the first thing to establish.
Within each class, construction varies: conductor size and material, insulation type (EPR or XLPE), shield arrangement, jacket and whether the cable is single or three-core. Utility primary cable often includes a concentric neutral; industrial feeder cable may be shielded with a copper tape.
These reels are expensive when new, which is exactly why cancelled projects and surplus utility stock are worth quoting properly rather than treating them as scrap.
Condition, footage and documentation
- Reel condition: intact flange, tight wrap, no crushing or standing water in the reel.
- Jacket condition: no cuts, gouges, UV cracking or exposed insulation shield.
- Ends: sealed or capped ends indicate the cable has been protected.
- Footage: tag footage for full reels, flange marking for partials.
- Documentation: factory test reports, partial-discharge results or a project record raise confidence in the cable.
We do not claim to field-test cable. If testing is needed before a purchase, say so at the start and we will discuss how it is handled.
Utilities, plants and cancelled substations
Alabama's utilities, industrial plants and large campuses hold medium-voltage cable as spare stock for outages and expansions. When a switchgear lineup changes or a feeder is rerouted, the spare reel can become surplus.
Contractors who build substations and primary distribution also end up with partial reels, and those are often the cleanest inventory: original wrap, factory tag and documented footage.
Send the voltage class, conductor size, insulation type, footage, reel count and any test documentation. A photo of the tag and the reel face answers most of it.
Send medium-voltage details
Voltage class, insulation type, conductor size and material, footage, reel count and documentation.
Medium-voltage questions
Do you buy 15kV cable with concentric neutral?
Yes. Concentric-neutral primary cable is common utility stock and is bought with the neutral configuration noted.
Do you require test reports?
They help but are not mandatory. Without them, the assessment relies on condition, storage history and documentation from the project.
Do you buy cable that has been in service?
Sometimes. Cable removed from service needs more information: years in service, reason for removal and any test results. Photographs of the ends and jacket are essential.
What about 69kV and above?
Higher-voltage cable is considered case by case. Send the specification, footage and documentation, and we will confirm whether it fits.
Spare primary reel in the yard?
Send the tag, the voltage class and the footage. Medium-voltage stock is quoted individually.
Keep reading
- Copper and aluminum building wireWire category
- THHN, THWN, THWN-2 and XHHW wireWire category
- MC, AC, tray cable and VFD cableWire category
- SER, SEU, URD and USE-2 cableWire category
- Bare copper, insulated copper and grounding wireWire category
- Welding cable and SOOW portable cordWire category
- Control, instrumentation and communication cableWire category
- Fire alarm and low-voltage cableWire category
- EPR, XLPE and concentric-neutral cableWire category
- Wire sizes we buyReference
- Who we buy fromSeller guide
- BirminghamJefferson County
- HuntsvilleMadison County
- MobileMobile County