Post here if buried power lines would have prevented a power outage for you sometime in the last 10

[COLGATE4]

85. I worked as in house counsel for a major Michigan

utility for over 20 years, and, unfortunately the points you express are incorrect:

1 - You cannot bury transmission lines (the ones you describe as with "ones on the massive towers that cut across the landscape on utility owned land) because, among other things you'd wind up eletrocuting your customer base. Only lower voltage distribution lines are the ones that can be buried. And utilities typically cut and trim on a 7 or 10 year cycle - cost is nowhere near the cost of acquiring land rights, etc.

2- Although underground lines are buriedy they do not carry warnings. Most states require contractors to contact the utility for location of buried lines before starting (called "Miss Dig&quot but many do not. When they are cut it's much more of a hassle and it takes a lot longer to repair them. Then customers aren't happy.

Unfortunately, the cost and technical problems of undergrounding distribution lines is prohibitive unless done at the time the lines are first installed. Fact, nor opinion.