§ 72. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Minister of Transport if he can give any estimate of the increased cost of putting electric lines underground through small country towns as compared with carrying the lines overhead?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)The cost of underground lines depends upon a number of varying factors, such as the pressure of the supply, the type and size of the cables employed, the method of laying and the cost of excavation and reinstatement of the particular classes of roads in which the cables are laid. For the various classes of lines likely to be used in the development of electricity supply in country towns, the cost of underground construction might represent an increase of from 150 to 200 per cent., or even more, cn the cost of overhead construction, according to the particular conditions.