Enthusiasm for Underground Power Lines Wanes Due to Cost

Every big power outage is immediately followed by talk about the benefits of burying power lines underground. This would protect power lines against damage during major storms, reducing the likelihood of widespread and long-lasting outages. However, enthusiasm for the idea tends to fade quickly after the storms disappear because the cost of moving lines underground is just too high to make it feasible in most areas.

We saw this exact scenario happen recently in the Northeastern United States in the wake of Hurricane Irene. States like Connecticut and Vermont went without power for more than a full day due to outages caused by the storm. While the power was out there was a lot of talk about how such a problem could be prevented in the future if only the lines were buried underground. Once the power was back up and running, though, the conversation changed.

State legislators and representatives from major utility companies like Connecticut Light and Power say that this type of response to a major outage is understandable but burying power lines is not financially realistic. It costs more than four times as much to put a power line underground than it does to put it above ground, a cost as high as $3.5 million per mile for underground lines. Utility companies like CL&P are unwilling to pay that tab. They would be happy to make the change but only if the towns or private individuals choose to foot the bill.

Some legislators believe that the cost may be worth it for their towns. State governments face serious economic losses in the face of major disasters such as hurricanes. Some Connecticut officials would like to see a study done to weigh the costs and benefits of paying to move power lines underground. For now, though, those lines remain above ground, where they are not properly protected from storm damage.

Source: http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Underground-lines-can-inspire-sticker-shock-2154315.php#page-1