Cost, wide area restrain underground utility lines

CEBU, Philippines- After clearing unused wires and poles, Cebu City’s Utility Lines Installation Coordinating Committee is being restrained from pursuing underground installation of utility lines due to great cost and wide coverage.

One of the objectives of ULICC, which is composed of power and telecom firms and government entities, is the grounding of utility lines but utility companies are faced with drawbacks in enforcing this long-term goal.

Edlindelos Reyes, ULICC’s spokesperson, said that as a short-term goal, they have bundled cable wires, cleared inoperative wires, especially along the route of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, removed multiple poles and replaced those which were already rotten and leaning.

However, for their long-term objective, Reyes admitted that they have not complied with the mandatory grounding of all utility lines in the city as this would cost much.

In fact, she said it cost them around P205 million for the 1.7-kilometer “Osmena Boulevard Underground Installation - Phases IA and IB.”

Apart from the cost, the group is also challenged with the wide coverage area, considering the 80 barangays in the city.

Reyes also questioned the customers’ readiness once the underground wiring system is implemented, saying the present design of establishments and residences might not fitwith the underground entrance.

“Is going full underground the only solution? Is there another way to address messy wires?” Reyes asked before the city council, which called their attention for the unattended utility wires and poles in the city, during the August 11 executive session.

The need for underground wire installation was highlighted when two separate accidents in the city involving overhead wires transpired months ago that claimed two lives and injured two others.  (FREEMAN)