Tantransco begins laying of underground EHT power line at Mannarpuram

Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation (Tantransco) has begun laying of underground extra high tension (EHT) transmission cables in the city for upgrading the substation at Mannarpuram.

Areas such as Cantonment, Central Bus Stand, Mannarpuram, T.V.S. Tolgate, Collector Office, Senthanneerpuram and others get power supply from the Mannarpuram substation. Considering the increasing power demand from the public utilities, households and commercial connections, according to sources, the State owned corporation plans to upgrade the substation from 33/11 KV 110/11 KV. It is aimed at increasing the load supply to the consumers.

A sum of ₹26.71 crore has been sanctioned to the project. Laying of underground cable is the key element of it. As per the plan, EHT cables will be erected from Sathanur substation to Mannarpuram substation for seven km. Of it, the overhead EHT will be erected for 4.6 km from Sathanur. The remaining 2.4 km will be covered by the underground power transmission cables. It will be laid along the busy highways from Mannarpuram to Edamalaipattipudur.

Mary Magdalin Princy, Superintending Engineer, Tantransco, told The Hindu that the EHT underground power line would have seven cables. Areas where underground EHT were proposed, were extremely busy roads with hundreds of vehicles playing day and night. The ground had to be dug for laying the cables. However, it had been decided not to cut the busy roads. Instead, roads crossing trench were being done by horizontal directional drilling without disturbing the traffic for the first time in Tiruchi. A team of highly skilled workers had been engaged in the work.

Erection of 16 EHT power towers was among the components of the plan. They would mainly be erected from K. Sathanur to Edamalaipattipudur. Most of the towers were erected, Ms. Princy added.

With the upgradation of the substation, the power load could be increased three times from the existing load. It would benefit consumers and reduce interruption in power supply, she said.