LAYING OF UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CABLES IN OLD PRIVATE ESTATES

LAYING OF UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CABLES IN OLD PRIVATE ESTATES

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(Use of Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) funding): **

29.

Dr Fatimah Lateef asked the Minister for National Development if the cost of converting overhead electrical cables to underground ones can be incorporated under the Estates Upgrading Programme (EUP) funding for private estates as the cables in some of the estates are old and pose certain hazards.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: The Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) aims to enhance the living environment in private residential estates, by upgrading public facilities on state land within the estates. Common EUP works include the upgrading of park and road related facilities, improvement to connectivity and accessibility to and within the estates, as well as enhancement of estate identity. The upgraded facilities are subsequently handed over to the relevant public agencies for maintenance.

The Government does not own or maintain the electrical cables, be they overhead or underground. These cables are owned and maintained by the subsidiary companies of the Singapore Power Group (i.e. SP PowerAssets Ltd and SP PowerGrid Ltd respectively), which operate on a commercial basis. It is therefore not appropriate to use EUP funds to finance the replacement or maintenance of such private assets.

The use of overhead electrical cables is safe and widely accepted in many developed countries. In the maintenance of the overhead cables for safety and reliability of electricity supply, SP PowerGrid has to comply with the requirements imposed by the Energy Market Authority (EMA). Dr Fatimah may wish to contact SP PowerGrid if she has any specific concerns on the safety and maintenance of the overhead electrical cables.

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