Electricity supply and distribution companies often encounter faults in buried power cables caused by ageing, damage, or deterioration.

Since power cables are typically supplied in lengths of no more than 300 metres, multiple joints are inevitably required and buried along the cable route. These joints can often become the source of cable faults, leaving the cable out of service until the fault is repaired and the cable is returned to service.

Surge generators are used in conjunction with pre-location and pinpoint fault-locating equipment to accurately determine the position of cable faults.