The government would relocate the overhead electricity transmission lines to underground across the country in the next five years to facilitate uninterrupted and quality power supply, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid yesterday.
“As part of the plan, Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Chittagong, Sylhet, Mymensingh and Comilla cities, along with their neighbouring areas will primarily be brought under the underground electricity network”, the minister added.
Gradually the coverage would be expanded to Khulna, Jessore, and Rajshahi , he added.
Nasrul was speaking as the chief guest at a contract signing ceremony at Bidyut Bhaban in the capital.
"Branches of trees in the capital are being cut due to overhead electricity lines, causing the environmental degradation," he said.
“The premier instructed to bury the overhead transmission lines below the ground three years ago. Now we’re going to start work in this regard. Along with the hanging power lines, some power sub-stations will also be placed underground,” Nasrul maintained.
File photo of Nasrul Hamid | Dhaka Tribune
On a separate issue, he resented as the state-run power distribution companies had failed to come up with ideas for a smart electricity distribution network system.
“I don’t understand why you can't conceive such an idea? You should have proposed for an underground cabling scheme much earlier. Finally, you have moved with the project instructed by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina three years ago,” he said.
Terming the relocation process expensive, Nasrul said: “The demand of electricity will rise to such an extent in the future that it will not be possible to supply required electricity transmitting through the overhead wires.”
The state minister also suggested that roads be dug out as minimal as possible while burying the electricity cables below the ground using state-of-the-art technology.
Dhaka Power Distribution Company is currently implementing a project of underground cabling in the capital while the government has already relieved Sylhet city partially from the eyesore of the hanging cables.
The contract
During the ceremony, Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) struck a contract with Australian energy company, EnergyTron R&D KIS Group, for conducting a feasibility study, designing the project, estimating its expenditure and preparing a project report on the scheme.
The Australian company will do the job in a year at an estimated cost of Tk25.30 crore.
