Power dept to introduce underground cables in 77 urban townships across Bengal ..... solar panels in schools

Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay

SOUMITRA NANDI | MP | 29 March 2018 | Kolkata: In a sincere bid towards sustainable and uninterrupted power connection, the state Power department has decided to introduce underground cable system for power supply in 77 urban townships across the state.  

The department has successfully completed the laying of such underground cables for electricity at Nabadwip in Nadia district and Bolpur in Birbhum.

"We have set a target of 2025 for completion of this underground power supply project. We will be taking up an average of 11 urban townships a year, for installing this facility. This will help us achieve our aim of laying underground power supply infrastructure for 77 such townships in the state," state Power minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay said.

The total project cost has been estimated at Rs 4,809 crore.

"Overhead power supply is often affected when there are inclement weather conditions, like a storm or heavy rainfall. Apart from this there is rampant power theft due to hooking, which results in losses for the department. Underground power connection will make the situation much better," a senior official of West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (WBSEDCL) said.

Once the underground connections are put in place, the overhead electric wires will be uninstalled.

It may be mentioned that CESC uses underground cables for power supply in Kolkata, while the WBSEDCL uses overhead cables that are connected through poles, for power supply.

It may be mentioned that power generation has considerably increased in the past six years and necessary steps are being taken so that it increases further.

In 2011, around 1.2 MW of solar power was generated in the state, which has gone up to 53.216 MW. Similarly, there has been an increase in biomass power. It was 1.59 MW in 2011 and has increased to 13.29 MW in the past six years.

The state Power department is setting up solar panels in schools and other educational institutions. The department has set a target of providing solar power in 1,000 schools. Solar panels have come up in 673 schools, 21 colleges and 5 universities.

Moreover, work has been started to introduce floating solar panels in large waterbodies within the premises of thermal power generation stations. It will come up at Sagardighi, Santaldihi and Bakreswar.