Replacement of Overhead Power Cables with Underground Cables

Mr Inderjit Singh asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether the Ministry will consider replacing all remaining overhead power cables in Singapore with underground cables.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The installation of new overhead power cables to distribute electricity was discontinued in the late 1970s. However, some older estates are still served by overhead power cables. Currently, around 9,000 electricity users, representing less than 1% of all users, are supplied via overhead power cables.

The overhead power cables continue to work well, and the grid operator, SP PowerGrid (SPPG), has no plans to proactively replace them. Users who wish to convert their overhead power cables to underground supply can request SPPG to do so. The costs of conversion are borne by the users who request the switch to underground supply, as it would not be equitable for SPPG to bear these costs and subsequently recover them from all electricity users. Converting to underground supply could also create some inconvenience for the users, as construction work may need to be carried out within their premises. Hence, it is only when these older estates or units are re-developed that the owners or users would be required to convert to underground supply.

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