THE repair works involving damaged electrical cables under the Penang Bridge will be completed sooner, said Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB).
The repairs will be completed a week sooner than the 118 days scheduled, as TNB managed to dismantle the electrical cables’ support structure and the damaged ones in just four days, ending today.
“Based on a new schedule, TNB and PLUS Expressways Bhd (PLUS) will take only 112 days for the repair works.
“Therefore, PLUS will be able to evaluate the structural support and embark on repairing the bridge, which will take two months,” said TNB chief grid officer Datuk Husaini Husin, in a statement.
Last month, two back-to-back fire incidents triggered by the electrical cables under the Penang Bridge caused the state government to close several lanes on the bridge for up to three months.
“We are considering to close one lane, on each side of the bridge, at night only for the repair works but this would depend on the number of repairs needed.
“Hopefully, TNB will announce the decision later after their discussions with PLUS,” State Infrastructure and Transport executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari was reported saying then.
No foul play
Touching on the matter, Husaini said that repair works in the 132kV damaged cable at Kilometre 3.2 of the bridge, among others, include replacement of three cable circuits, which is 100 metres long.
In addition, TNB would also embark on other measures such as stretching the cables, cable jointing and replacing its wooden platform, which were damaged during the fire.
“Our repair works will not disrupt traffic flow as we use access via the sea and barge since the beginning until June 23,” he stated.
On what caused the fire on Feb 22, Husaini said the Penang Fire and Rescue Department had indicated in its report on March 5 that it was due to an electric arc, which affected the wooden platform, causing overheating and triggered the blaze.
“So, the fire incident was not due to foul play or an act of God. However, all related agencies are still conducting separate investigations to find out what caused the electrical arc,” he remarked. – March 7, 2021.
