The Provincial Electricity Authority will begin ripping up North Road in the heart of high season to move overhead power and communications wires below ground.
Pattaya City Councilman Sriviset Rodarun told a June 8 meeting with officials from the city, military, police and utility companies that the project will take a year from the time the contract is signed with the contractor in December.
The 157-million-baht North Road project, which will run to the Dolphin Roundabout, is the first phase in a 3-billion-baht overhaul of the Pattaya electrical system, part of the PEA’s 11.7-billion-baht upgrade of its infrastructure in Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and Nakhon Ratchasima by 2021.
In all, 46 kilometers of overhead wiring will be moved below ground, with the second phase aimed at doing the same work on Central Road. The Pattaya overhaul also includes construction of underground distribution systems, high-voltage distribution systems with overhead ground wires, and communications support work.
Three different voltage systems will be installed in North Pattaya: A 115-kilovolt system will be installed under the road from the beginning of North Road at Sukhumvit Road to the Terminal 21 shopping mall, a distance of 1.8 kilometers.
A 22 KV System will be installed under the traffic island on North Road along the full two kilometers of the thoroughfare. And a low-voltage electricity-distribution system will be laid under the sidewalks to connect homes and commercial building on both sides of North Road.
