ELECTRICAL CABLE

Dr Ker Sin Tze asked the Minister for Trade and Industry whether Singapore Power Limited has any plans to replace the overhead electrical cable, which is a common sight in many older private estates, with underground cables.

BG George Yong-Boon Yeo: The use of overhead cables to distribute electricity to homes from the cable mains was discontinued since the late 1970s. However, a number of older private housing estates are still being served by these overhead cables. Singapore Power has no plans to replace these overhead cables as they are working well. Residents currently served by the overhead cables can switch to underground supply if they wish for the portion from the road into the house. They can arrange for their contractors to lay lead-in pipes and shift the electricity in-take points to the front of their houses. PowerGrid will then lay dedicated cables to these electricity in-take points and connect them to the underground grid outside the houses for a standard charge.

When the estates or houses served by overhead cables are redeveloped, the developers or house owners will be required to switch from overhead cables to underground supply.