After storms and widespread outages, electrical companies and experts always say it's too expensive to put all overhead power lines underground. In the 1960s, they buried them for different reasons.
This doesn't have anything to do with power lines, but I have to ask: do you have the full clipping of that Charlotte Observer front page from Jan 26 1966? Because the article in the lower left of your screenshot appears to talk about a visiting mayor and before actually naming her it appears to give her measurements (i.e., bust, waist, hips) and that's... appalling? Maybe I shouldn't be surprised but for the opening description of a politician to be her hair color and body size has me gobsmacked. Is that just a thing that used to happen?
Former utility engineer who designed +80% lines underground. Power placed underground requires property owners to agree to set aside more area for the installation of power. They must be deeper than telco for customer safety. They must also have separation from other lines for safety and if too close they bleed interference to other lines that will cause issues with telco and tv service. Rocky, shale soils make for a real challenge to safely ground buried lines. That said underground can offer better service, less storm damage and the ground temps are relatively constant which translates a more stable power/telco/tv grid. Aerial lines stretch in heat creating longer lengths of line between poles, adding a tiny bit to the resistance loss which eventually adds up as a power loss not being consumed. Buried telco/tv are far more service efficient than aerial lines. Underground power has advantages, but the higher voltage lines are very pricy underground and it is much harder to add voltage once the lines are buried. Even power lines can need their own separation as more are added. We see the separation between the aerial lines and those same safety factors come into play when buried. Locating buried lines where power is also buried can be tricky, especially when you are billed for cutting telco or tv because the utility locator had power bleed off while trying to mark the lines. In many new housing developments the utilities require the developers to install underground conduits per their design and then come in later pulling in lines. This passes the cost to the developer to recoup on sales. It also allows the developer to phase in utilities without worry of expensive cut damage costs or fines from the state for numerous utility damages. Win for paying customers to keep rates lower. I worked for a company that prided themselves on service, so underground was always first choice. Even to the point of boring under a river to avoid flooding wash aways at 10 times the cost of just replacing the aerial lines when gone. Many utility companies are focused on the most cost effective infrastructure, easier to take chances and replace when wiped out. All about expectation's and rate regulators who dictate how things are done.
Hello from Winter Park Florida where the city purchases the utility distribution system in 2005, and began a 10 year plan to underground all of the lines. While slightly behind schedule due to supply issues related to Covid, the project is 70%+ complete.
It can be done with good leadership that is willing to push back against the investor owned utility companies.
Our neighborhood was built in '86 and we purchased our home in '87. Buried power lines was a big selling point for us. Unfortunately, encroaching developments didn't follow suit.
Interesting. Now add up the pay for the CEO and upper mgmt since the 2002 timeframe. But of course the homes and businesses would be charged for it all. “The people would have to pay… not my absurd compensation.”
This weather obviously hasn't met jon mfin sample
This doesn't have anything to do with power lines, but I have to ask: do you have the full clipping of that Charlotte Observer front page from Jan 26 1966? Because the article in the lower left of your screenshot appears to talk about a visiting mayor and before actually naming her it appears to give her measurements (i.e., bust, waist, hips) and that's... appalling? Maybe I shouldn't be surprised but for the opening description of a politician to be her hair color and body size has me gobsmacked. Is that just a thing that used to happen?
Former utility engineer who designed +80% lines underground. Power placed underground requires property owners to agree to set aside more area for the installation of power. They must be deeper than telco for customer safety. They must also have separation from other lines for safety and if too close they bleed interference to other lines that will cause issues with telco and tv service. Rocky, shale soils make for a real challenge to safely ground buried lines. That said underground can offer better service, less storm damage and the ground temps are relatively constant which translates a more stable power/telco/tv grid. Aerial lines stretch in heat creating longer lengths of line between poles, adding a tiny bit to the resistance loss which eventually adds up as a power loss not being consumed. Buried telco/tv are far more service efficient than aerial lines. Underground power has advantages, but the higher voltage lines are very pricy underground and it is much harder to add voltage once the lines are buried. Even power lines can need their own separation as more are added. We see the separation between the aerial lines and those same safety factors come into play when buried. Locating buried lines where power is also buried can be tricky, especially when you are billed for cutting telco or tv because the utility locator had power bleed off while trying to mark the lines. In many new housing developments the utilities require the developers to install underground conduits per their design and then come in later pulling in lines. This passes the cost to the developer to recoup on sales. It also allows the developer to phase in utilities without worry of expensive cut damage costs or fines from the state for numerous utility damages. Win for paying customers to keep rates lower. I worked for a company that prided themselves on service, so underground was always first choice. Even to the point of boring under a river to avoid flooding wash aways at 10 times the cost of just replacing the aerial lines when gone. Many utility companies are focused on the most cost effective infrastructure, easier to take chances and replace when wiped out. All about expectation's and rate regulators who dictate how things are done.
Hello from Winter Park Florida where the city purchases the utility distribution system in 2005, and began a 10 year plan to underground all of the lines. While slightly behind schedule due to supply issues related to Covid, the project is 70%+ complete.
It can be done with good leadership that is willing to push back against the investor owned utility companies.
Our neighborhood was built in '86 and we purchased our home in '87. Buried power lines was a big selling point for us. Unfortunately, encroaching developments didn't follow suit.
Interesting. Now add up the pay for the CEO and upper mgmt since the 2002 timeframe. But of course the homes and businesses would be charged for it all. “The people would have to pay… not my absurd compensation.”
I work in the wireless industry. I hear the same thing regarding Cell Towers.