Tag:power=cable

power = cable
Description
An insulated cable carrying electrical power, such as transmission or distribution cables located underground and undersea cables
Group: power
Used on these elements
Useful combination
circuits=* voltage=* cables=* location=* ref=* name=* operator=*
See also
power=line power=minor_line
Status: de facto
power=cable $1% $1% $1% $1% More details at taginfo
Tools for this tag
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A power cable (IEC 461-06-01) is an insulated electrical power conductor, used for power transmission or distribution in complex environments such as indoors, underground or undersea.

They are considered as line segments (IEC 601-02-31), a more general concept as to not confuse them with power=circuit. It's a portion of power conductors with common properties or construction features, modeled in OpenStreetMap as a way with corresponding tags. As soon as tagging changes, a different segment begins.

For large overhead power lines, mainly part of transmission networks and usually supported by towers, see power=line.

For smaller power lines (from mains voltage to about 45 kV, depending on the country or area), usually carried on poles, use power=minor_line.

For cables used to carry data or voice, see communication=line.

How to map

Draw a line along the feature path and tag it with power=cable. By default, cables are assumed to be buried underground or underwater and location=* can be used with appropriate value.

• Optionally add layer=* if needed to indicate the relative vertical alignment of different features.
• For cables mounted inside a man accessible self-supporting tunnel use tunnel=yes. Dedicated and accessible power tunnels are sometimes found in large cities like London

Cables, as power lines, are physical features mapped as ways which don't represent the flow of power. It is recommended, if known, to cut ways as often as cables are joined together. It is important to document differences (diameter, material and so on) between cable sections.
Power cable segments can optionally be involved in power=circuit or even power=line_section relations for sake of advanced power routing modeling. You will get more information about it on respective pages, on power relations or more briefly below.

Tagging

Much of the tagging for power=cable is identical to that for power=line, so it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the information on that page as well.

Key	Value	Comment	Recommendation
power	cable	It's a power cable, normally mapped as a .	Mandatory
voltage	<operating voltage>	The voltage at which the cable is operated	Recommended
location	<location>	The physical location of the cable, such as underground. See below for possible values. The default value is underground	Recommended
cables	<number of cables>	The number of different phase conductors for this power cable section	Recommended
circuits	<number of circuits>	The number of different and separated electrical circuits built within this cable section	Recommended
operator operator:wikidata	<cable operator>	The name of the company which operates this power cable section	Recommended
owner owner:wikidata	<cable owner>	The name of the organization that owns the cable	Optional
name	<name>	The name of this power cable section.	Optional
ref	<reference>	The reference of this power cable section	Optional
frequency	<operating frequency>	The frequency given in Hertz at which the power cable is operating	Discouraged: involve the cable in a circuit instead.

Location

List of possible location=* values.

Key	Value	Comment
location	underground	A cable buried underground (below terrestrial ground or undersea) going through ducts or not. This is the default value.
	indoor	A power cable located inside a building or a way larger underground infrastructure
	underwater	A power cable located on the sea/river/lake floor, which can be seen when diving without digging soil.
	overground	A cable installed on the ground (it is possible since power cables are properly insulated and it makes the main difference with power lines).
	overhead	A cable installed on poles. They can be seen in forests or narrow environments. This makes a strong difference with uninsulated power lines, more vulnerable to climate impacts.

location:transition=yes may be used on nodes connecting two different cable sections with different location=*s. It is even better on the end node of a power line or cable disappearing underground without more knowledge.

Lifecycle

Please refer to similar and more detailed lifecycle directions on power=line page.

How to detect an underground cable

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Common tagging mistakes

power=minor_cable

		$1%
		$1%
		$1%
		$1%

More details at taginfo

• power=minor_cable

If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!

man_made=submarine_cable

		$1%
		$1%
		$1%
		$1%

More details at taginfo

• man_made=submarine_cable ‒ Use power=cable + location=underwater instead for underwater power cable only. There can be telecommunication submarine cables which should be mapped with communication=line

If you know places with this tag, verify if it could be tagged with another tag.
Automated edits are strongly discouraged unless you really know what you are doing!

Examples

Photo	Location	Tagging	Note
	Germany	power=cable voltage=380000 cables=6 circuits=2 tunnel=yes location=underground	Two circuits power cable installed in a tunnel in the Berlin underground
	France	power=cable voltage=220 cables=2 location=overhead	Overhead cables suspended on wooden poles

Rendering

Power cables aren't shown on OSM Carto and the following services are available:

• Open Infrastructure Map
• Power Grid Map
• Electricity grid map (Europe only)
• Maperitive power line rule set for rendering power lines, cables and substations in Maperitive.

See also

• Power_networks and associated local projects.
• Power transmission refinement proposal