Protest over power cable

30 April 2010 11:58 am - 20 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

Several residents in parts of Puttalam today obstructed engineers setting up cables connecting wind turbines to transformers, saying the cables were too close to other power lines and posed a threat to the general public in the area.

When a Daily Mirror online team visited Puttalam today the residents were seen arguing with the engineers and stood between the cables and engineers demanding to speak to officials involved in the wind power project.

Following a heated protest the engineers provided contacts of the wind turbine project authorities to the residents in order to defuse the situation which had arisen.

A Manager at the wind power plant, Champika Perera, speaking to Daily Mirror online said that following the concerns raised by the residents measures were taken to re-locate the cables as well as the concrete posts. (Daily Mirror online)

Pic by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe

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Comments - 20

Saturday, 01 May 2010 02:40 AM

Different cables may carry different voltages such as high tension and low tension. It may not be advisable to have a high tension cable in the vicinity of a low tension cable. A high tension cable collapse on a uninsulated low tension cable feeding residences can be disastrous.

Sunday, 02 May 2010 07:21 AM

This is the start of wind power generation in Sri Lanka. Many people try to show wind power is not feasible for the country. this is because they have some other agenda to support the so called diesel mafia.

look at the picture, it seems to be line is 33kV with concrere poles and there is nothing to protest since the line goes about 9 meters above ground at the edge of the road reservation.

Saturday, 01 May 2010 04:16 PM

sri lanka is never short of protests....make an issue just for the sake of protesting, without even understanding the subject...i wont be surprised if some stupid idiot damages a pylon or a transformer. we have had a lot of experience of such stupidity in the past..

Saturday, 01 May 2010 01:51 PM

Dear DP,

What ever said there are long term health complications and enough number of research articles available

Saturday, 01 May 2010 09:13 AM

Cut power, let them live in moonlight!

Saturday, 01 May 2010 08:44 AM

In Sri Lanka, every other fellow is an expert on something or other.

Saturday, 01 May 2010 08:38 AM

Oh...seems to be the diesel mafia is behind the protests.

Saturday, 01 May 2010 05:33 AM

this is absurd. let the engineers do their business

Saturday, 01 May 2010 04:34 AM

The residents are right.
I know of a family that died of cancer after a CEB power line was installed over their house.Three in the family died mysteriously.The last to go was identified as being sick with cancer.

Saturday, 01 May 2010 04:29 AM

So, is it a big problem? Don't say government is resposible. This is Sri Lanka and be true citizens, get use to it's system. Leaders are busy with developing the country. You have to fix small, small things like this.

Friday, 30 April 2010 04:13 PM

champika will solve this!

Saturday, 01 May 2010 02:08 AM

When general public make a protest that has to be listened to.
I do not think that public is talking about engineering aspect of the matter. If public has a wrong view on the matter, certainly , it must be corrected.

Friday, 30 April 2010 11:14 PM

Going by the photo, in this news item, I gather that the lines being constructed are overhead conductors. I understand the concerns of residents, due to the visual impact of such lines. However, the residents need not have concerns about the proximity of new lines, to the existing ones, as line designs are such that sufficient clearances are allowed between the lines, based on voltage levels. To minimise/eliminate the visual impact, lines could be drawn underground, but the cost is much higher.

Friday, 30 April 2010 10:25 PM

Let the Electrical Engineers solve this! Everyone, in Sri Lanka, considers himself an "expert" at everything.

Friday, 30 April 2010 09:15 PM

Did it occur to you that the journalists could be misreporting facts, as they usually do. On the other hand in the foreground are what look like steel cables ....

Friday, 30 April 2010 09:13 PM

Safety, is a priority! High voltage height clearance requirements must be accounted for, when stringing the cables! This shouldn't be comprised, when designing the installation!

Friday, 30 April 2010 06:01 PM

I can see a 33KV line going just above the heads of people with out any protective mesh support underneath, which is indeed dangerous.

Friday, 30 April 2010 04:52 PM

There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.

Friday, 30 April 2010 04:41 PM

So i guess the people over there are engineers themselves!

Friday, 30 April 2010 04:27 PM

surely the engineers know what they are doing...the residents saying cables too close to the power lines cables ,is very confusing..cables and power lines are for the same purpose..i think the locals have to be educated on the subject..

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Protest over power cable

Comments - 20

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