Discoms to use costlier lattice towers in forest areas

State electricity distributing companies (discoms) will use high-cost lattice towers in forest areas for power transmission to avoid animal deaths, according to a recent decision taken in the meeting called by the Orissa Principle Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Chief Wildlife Warden.

“After a prolong discussion it emerged that to avoid electrocution of elephants in the state, specifically in Dhenkanal, Angul, Keonjhar and Baripada, Narrow Based Lattice Structure (NBLS) towers are to be installed instead of single pole or double pole in all 11 Kv and 33 Kv lines in future,” said the resolution of the meeting, attended by discom and power grid officials.

The top forest officers raised the issue of increasing number of elephant deaths in Orissa forest areas due to electric cables. They said the poles supporting the cables are placed far apart in forest areas, causing the wires to hang low and often leading to electrocution of elephants.

While in case of a lattice tower, which is usually assembled at the point of erection, it is possible to erect tall structures. These steel towers are widely used to transmit power of any voltage.

In the meeting, it was also decided to replace existing electric poles in the forest areas of Keonjhar with NBLS tower on a pilot basis. NBLS towers are costlier than single pole or double poles due to high cost of the steel. It can cost Rs 10-12 lakh per kilometer to install lattice towers, much higher than Rs 3-5 lakh spent in erecting single or double poles. The state energy department has to shell out more funds to implement the new project, meant for animal safety, said an official present in the meeting. “The state may have the provisions (to install lattice tower) in the new financial year as it is not there in the current budget of energy department,” he said.