KFC & Costa – Commercial Electrical Installation in Chippenham

Case Study Contents

Client and Project Overview

Client and Project Overview

  • Client Profile: Large organisation

  • Location: Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK

  • Project Date: September 2021

  • Service Type: Commercial Electrical Installation

  • Project: Landlord supply and external services for KFC & Costa site

  • Main Products & Materials Used:

    • Three-phase distribution board with extension box

    • Kingfisher LED lighting

    • 5m lighting columns with isolators

    • Interceptor controls and beacons

    • Trace heating tape with thermostatic controller

    • Totem poles (entry and exit)

  • Duration/Time to Complete: 3 months

Challenges and Technical Adaptations

Two major challenges impacted this project:

  1. Duct Chamber Confusion – The duct chambers had not been installed in the correct positions. This made it unclear which chamber connected to which until tested with a cable cobra.

  2. Exposed Pipework – The mains water pipe ran under a bridge instead of being built into it, leaving it exposed to frost and potential flooding.

Solutions:

  • Lighting was designed with multiple sensors, contactors, and six separate circuits, ensuring resilience if a circuit failed.

  • Entry and exit totem poles were placed on independent circuits for backup operation.

  • Installed trace heating tape on exposed pipework, controlled by a thermostatic probe to activate heating automatically in cold conditions.

  • Lagged the pipework with insulation and protected it with a metal guard to ensure durability and safeguard against rising river levels.

Project Summary

Nulectrics provided a full landlord supply installation for the Chippenham KFC and Costa development. Key elements included:

  • Kingfisher LED street lighting with six separate circuits

  • Independent circuits for entry and exit totem poles

  • Pumping station and interceptor controls with beacons

  • Trace heating system with automatic frost protection for exposed water pipework

The project delivered a resilient, energy-efficient system designed for safety, compliance, and long-term performance.

Conclusion

This commercial installation supported the safe and reliable operation of a high-traffic retail development. By combining LED lighting, resilient circuit design, and frost-protected water systems, Nulectrics ensured the site’s infrastructure was both efficient and built to last.