This　paper　aims　to　use　only　one　sensor　to　achieve　better　PD　fault　location　of　power　cables　in　a　low　signal-to-noise　ratio　(SNR)　noise　environment.　Therefore,　an　improved　phase　difference　(IPD)　method　based　on　one　sensor　is　used　to　estimate　the　PD　fault　location　of　power　cables.　This　method　has　a　good　advantage　of　using　only　the　first　two　PD　peaks,　which　is　suitable　for　location　estimation　in　the　low　SNR　noise　environment.　The　white　Gaussian　noise　is　regarded　as　background　noise　to　simulate　the　noise　environment.　In　order　to　enhance　the　accuracy　of　the　IPD　method　in　the　noisy　environment,　a　new　denoising　algorithm　combining　high-order　statistics　(HOS)　criterion　and　generalized　cross-validation　(GCV)　thresholding　is　proposed　to　process　PD　signals.　The　results　show　the　good　performance　of　the　proposed　denoising　algorithm　and　higher　location　accuracy　of　the　IPD　method　in　the　low　SNR　noise　environment.