General Discussion

COLGATE4

(14,886 posts)

89. You're right. Newer communities are now being built

Fri Jul 6, 2012, 06:27 PM

Jul 2012

with mandatory undergrounding of distribution lines (I just bought into such a community in Fla) and that's a good thing, aesthetically. However, I just personally had the experience with a contractor digging into and hitting my supply line - out of juice for 24 hours. I was not a happy camper. In Europe they have been pushing undergrounding much more vigorously and, so long as the cost is built into the rate basis utilitities are happy to do it. The problem in the US is going back and asking for more $$ from the regulators in order to retrofit. Then it comes as an electric rate increase and users aren't happy. But the pendulum is moving in that direction.

Click here to purchase valentine hearts!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

114 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Post here if buried power lines would have prevented a power outage for you sometime in the last 10 [View all] hedgehog Jul 2012 OP

Probably...but then again, I hear people out in the burbs losing power all the time... Drunken Irishman Jul 2012 #1

I think if we had more buried lines, we'd find out how many hedgehog Jul 2012 #2

I'm guessing they're not as easily accessible, either... Drunken Irishman Jul 2012 #5

Of course, it is harder to run your car into a buried line hedgehog Jul 2012 #6

But running into a transformer cabinet is easier. TexasProgresive Jul 2012 #57

When I lived as a child in Cincinnati... slor Jul 2012 #23

Not all 'burbs have buried lines dflprincess Jul 2012 #36

at least a few times. bullimiami Jul 2012 #3

I'm trying to find out where people think they need buried lines; hedgehog Jul 2012 #4

Anyplace with LOTS of trees. In our case, Chapel Hill, NC. mnhtnbb Jul 2012 #25

That would be us, too, up in Caswell County HillWilliam Jul 2012 #62

1st other caswell cty person tinymontgomery Jul 2012 #68

Hey Neighbor!! HillWilliam Jul 2012 #71

Yea, we can go to one of tinymontgomery Jul 2012 #73

I was surprised to pieces HillWilliam Jul 2012 #75

That was my wife's and mine tinymontgomery Jul 2012 #84

Absolutely, Oklahoma two different times. n/t Still Sensible Jul 2012 #7

Yep, I was going to say Oklahoma Ice Storm 2007 nt a la izquierda Jul 2012 #50

Ditto that Broken_Hero Jul 2012 #99

Oklahoma has trees? LiberalFighter Jul 2012 #72

One or two...they're mostly on the eastern part of the state. n/t cynatnite Jul 2012 #74

The town I lived in-Norman- a la izquierda Jul 2012 #106

Transformer blowed up and dropped hot oil on the dry grass tularetom Jul 2012 #8

effing transformers justabob Jul 2012 #15

they can be pretty loud when they blow KatyMan Jul 2012 #64

Padmounts blow up, too. Only they are at ground level. Edweird Jul 2012 #80

We rarely lose power. All underground local lines and a substation in a valley. HopeHoops Jul 2012 #9

I spent 14 straight hours bailing out my sump crock, 2 years ago, because of an outage Siwsan Jul 2012 #10

Three multi day outages in five years. Warren Stupidity Jul 2012 #11

This message was self-deleted by its author thucythucy Jul 2012 #54

In our region the power companies thucythucy Jul 2012 #55

Burying power lines is not the simple option you COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #60

All these issues can be addressed. thucythucy Jul 2012 #82

I worked as in house counsel for a major Michigan COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #85

I defer to your expertise on retrofitting thucythucy Jul 2012 #88

You're right. Newer communities are now being built COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #89

Sorry to hear about your contractor problem. thucythucy Jul 2012 #90

While I was at the utility in question we usually had COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #97

Germany has managed to do it. dbackjon Jul 2012 #93

Now THAT'S a compelling argument. COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #94

Actually some high-voltage transmission lines can be buried... PoliticAverse Jul 2012 #103

Thank you for that clarification. I was not aware of COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #107

Actually transmission lines can be buried. Edweird Jul 2012 #110

As I told another poster, I had never heard of COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #112

My response when I first heard about underground transmission was Edweird Jul 2012 #113

Imagine the costs for my former utility COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #114

That is a crock of Utiliy company BS dbackjon Jul 2012 #92

Please be kind enough to COLGATE4 Jul 2012 #96

You have no idea what you are talking about. Edweird Jul 2012 #111

Post here "if"... Kolesar Jul 2012 #12

Fixed it - thanks! hedgehog Jul 2012 #13

I have buried lines and we go thru periods of frequent outages. Gidney N Cloyd Jul 2012 #14

We have buried power lines here, and have not had any outages that have not been scheduled in madinmaryland Jul 2012 #16

Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, every summer at least twice. kestrel91316 Jul 2012 #17

Ice storm NW Bos suburbs, had a generator, moved to the burbs, have lost power w/buried lines NotThisTime Jul 2012 #18

Highly recommended that the 'service drop' from the power distribution line to the house is buried Strelnikov_ Jul 2012 #19

Absolutely, also Upstate NY. richmwill Jul 2012 #20

Possibly sakabatou Jul 2012 #21

A fairly strong tropical storm caused me to lose power for 5 days ... spin Jul 2012 #22

Yes. Ice storm of 2004 in NC. We were lucky to spend several days in a hotel. mnhtnbb Jul 2012 #24

Hell yes and worse - San Diego's horrific wildfires in 2007 were CAUSED by sagging unmaintained line Liberty Belle Jul 2012 #26

I live in a neighborhood with buried power lines. MADem Jul 2012 #27

Just last November 30, Los Angeles area... GReedDiamond Jul 2012 #28

NY here too but the ice took out the transfer stations which takes longer to repair.... Historic NY Jul 2012 #29

Yep. YellowRubberDuckie Jul 2012 #30

Northeast Oklahoma - Where should I start? NewMoonTherian Jul 2012 #31

The last 5 days in the DC suburbs MiniMe Jul 2012 #32

foshizzle Tuesday Afternoon Jul 2012 #33

Without a doubt evilhime Jul 2012 #34

Underground not always the answer Avis Jul 2012 #35

last friday into saturday night madrchsod Jul 2012 #37

here in cincinnati Soylent Brice Jul 2012 #38

My newish neighborhood; greiner3 Jul 2012 #39

Our 1980 apt building was rewired sometime and half of our power is over, half under ground. kickysnana Jul 2012 #40

Several outages in the last decade. One about 3 days in the winter. FarCenter Jul 2012 #41

Yes. And what a job creator!! Make power companies with poor records pay 3/4 and the Feds 1/4. nt nanabugg Jul 2012 #42

We must be lucky. emmadoggy Jul 2012 #43

me -VA last Friday! Power out til Tuesday; niece in Arlington still out williesgirl Jul 2012 #44

Hard to say. Igel Jul 2012 #45

Several times ... more than I can count. /nt jimlup Jul 2012 #46

me here in Los Angeles. Tree hit powerlines. Power out for almost a day while they put up new line Liberal_in_LA Jul 2012 #47

Would have prevented at least two fortnight-long power outages for me: hurricane & ice-storm struggle4progress Jul 2012 #48

4 hurricanes (back to back) 2004, 1 tropical strm 2006 quaker bill Jul 2012 #49

Burying power lines has a far bigger advantage than just preventing outages... Scuba Jul 2012 #51

You believe having that same voltage UNDERGROUND would somehow be better? Edweird Jul 2012 #66

The line wouldn't have been broken had it been underground. Three lives would have been saved. Scuba Jul 2012 #69

Those lines have to come up for connection to transformers. Edweird Jul 2012 #79

Yes it would have done so Sherman A1 Jul 2012 #52

23 years in the same apartment in downtown DC, and I've never lost power. DCKit Jul 2012 #53

As someone pointed out, even if they jsut buried the lines from the pole to the house, it would be hedgehog Jul 2012 #56

As I said, "straight line winds, my ass" DCKit Jul 2012 #58

I've experience a derecho before emmadoggy Jul 2012 #86

Generally, I'd agree with the experts or any other storm fan. DCKit Jul 2012 #87

you don't want me to reply to you? Itls not as if youve got anythning to br fribightened of. DCKit Jul 2012 #104

I think it is the nature of the derocho to generate some tornadoes hedgehog Jul 2012 #95

That is your option, at least here in Florida. You can have your service underground if you want. Edweird Jul 2012 #65

surely. texas -hurricanes nt arely staircase Jul 2012 #59

Yep. Several times. Arkana Jul 2012 #61

I actually install and repair power lines for a living. Edweird Jul 2012 #63

I think the question is the comparative frequency of power outages hedgehog Jul 2012 #67

The transmission and distribution lines are monitored. Edweird Jul 2012 #78

It's not such a simple question, actually. MineralMan Jul 2012 #70

I live in Florida - so heck yeah RockaFowler Jul 2012 #76

Yes DBoon Jul 2012 #77

I just went over 24 hours without power Motown_Johnny Jul 2012 #81

Me - June 29 - ohheckyeah Jul 2012 #83

Absolutely. femmocrat Jul 2012 #91

Usually, they do AnnieBW Jul 2012 #98

My old neighborhood in AZ needed more than lines LadyHawkAZ Jul 2012 #100

Very definitely; Puget Sound Scootaloo Jul 2012 #101

here too... WCGreen Jul 2012 #102

Already has. We pay for it every month in a surcharge we voted to have improvments done. Works good. freshwest Jul 2012 #105

Underground lines in neighborhood--above ground feeder lines Grammy23 Jul 2012 #108

Maybe, but I live in earthquake country. Iggo Jul 2012 #109