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    Energy for People, 6 June 2019
    From skies to underground

    Victoria Kurkova

    The transition of overhead networks to cable underground space in cities is slow. Experts believe that only additional funds from the regional or federal budget can speed up the work, but their receipt is still doubtful. Victoria Kurkova, Head of Outdoor Networks Department at Metropolis, commented on the prospects of moving the overhead networks of large Russian cities underground in the coming years. The material was published in the Energy for People magazine, in an issue dedicated to the opening of SPIEF-2019.

    Victoria believes that for residents of large cities, power lines hanging over the streets are a familiar picture, but not too aesthetic. When making changes to urban plans, the absence of overhead power lines and communication lines contributes to the potential for the development of new infrastructure projects - roads, overhead roads, transfer hubs, parks.


    The solution to this issue is difficult to implement fast, because it is realized in the conditions of the existing development, but with the direct and thoughtful participation of city authorities, it is possible to coordinate plans for the development of territories, the reconstruction of transport support and the distribution of the capacities of existing communications, taking into account the addition of new consumers.


    The work should be time-optimized so as not to remake the newly equipped landscaping for the suddenly arisen laying of a cable line.


    There are a number of advantages of underground laying, which, despite the higher costs, pay off over time, and the comfort and reliability are obvious. On the positive side, it is independent from natural disasters that cause destruction to overhead distribution and transmission networks throughout the country.


    The security zone of overhead power lines is 25 meters in both directions, and when laying a cable line underground it is 2 meters from the cable line. The area with the security zone is much smaller that way. Although the security zone is not fenced, it implies that it cannot be used as a full-fledged green zone; a walk through this territory is unlikely to bring a healing effect.


    Modern architecture is moving away from standard projects more and more, each architectural bureau is trying to pay special attention to the aesthetic perception of the future building, and here are power lines spoiling the landscape! There are many examples when architects turn courtyards away from cable lines or try to place in this part of the building those rooms for which the view component is not so important.


    It should be borne in mind that there are many places where it is impossible or extremely costly to implement such a rearrangement, because underground routing often does not repeat the topology of the overhead network and the length can increase several times. In such cases, the scales tilt in favor of the preservation of the existing gasket.


    Read the full material in the issue of «Energy for People».