Cooperative Living May 2021 - 25
CloserLook | by Paul Wesslund, Contributing Columnist
O V E R H E A D
or
BELOW GROUND
The best place for power lines depends largely on cost
hen a hurricane, wildfire or
other natural disaster causes
a widespread power outage,
people often question the wisdom of
above-ground power lines. The debate
over power line placement comes with
lists of pros and cons. But one of those
cons tends to drown out the others -
cost. When people hear that burying
power lines could more than double
their electric bills, that tends to end
the discussion.
W
UP OR DOWN
Make no mistake about it. Power
outages are expensive. In fact, they're
estimated to cost the U.S. $150 billion
annually. Wouldn't burying power
lines save some of that money?
It's true that burying lines
underground would protect them
from wind, fire, ice, tree branches
and motorist accidents. It would also
keep poles and wires from getting
in the way of the natural scenery.
But, when something goes wrong,
finding and repairing a problem up in
the air can be a lot easier and faster
than locating and digging up the exact
spot of an underground malfunction.
Also, underground power lines
aren't completely safe from natural
disasters. They've been known to get
overwhelmed with flooding, while
digging or other construction can slice
into underground service.
COST VERSUS CONVENIENCE
But it really all boils down to cost.
A 2012 study by the Edison Electric
Institute, a group that represents big
power companies, estimated that
burying existing lines would cost
between $93,000 and $5 million per
mile of line, depending on the type
of service and the terrain.
co-opliving.com
The study also included a survey
that found 60% of respondents said
they would be willing to pay up to 10%
more on their energy bills to have their
power lines buried. But when told
underground lines might double their
bills, more than 75% of the survey
respondents said " no. "
Converting to underground lines
also could mean higher expense to
homeowners who might have to install
different electrical equipment to
accommodate the new connections.
Some people do have underground
service. One estimate places that
number at about 40% of utility
customers. In some cases, utilities
are placing new electric service
underground, even though that cost
is more expensive as well.
It can cost three times as much to
build new underground service
compared with overhead lines. About
20% of the money spent on new electric
service construction of distribution
lines goes for underground projects.
While underground service is often
impractical, utilities are finding other
ways to increase reliability, by using
modern smart grid technology and
drone patrols, as well as more oldfashioned
tree trimming. ■
Paul Wesslund writes on consumer and
cooperative affairs for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
THE PROS AND CONS OF
OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND POWER LINES
OVERHEAD
PROS
* Less expensive to build and repair
* Easier to spot faults/damage
* Can be built on any terrain
CONS
* Susceptible to wind, ice and snow
* More vulnerable to damage from trees and vegetation
* More vulnerable to blinks caused by animals
* Susceptible to damage from vehicle collisions
UNDERGROUND
PROS
* Less susceptible to vehicle collisions
* Unaffected by trees, wind, ice and snow
* Less vulnerable to blinks caused by animals
CONS
* More expensive to build and repair
* Susceptible to flooding
* Difficult to locate faults/damage
* Vulnerable to damage fromdigging
May 2021 | Cooperative Living | 23
http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living May 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living May 2021
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 1
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 2
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 3
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 4
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 5
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 6
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 7
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 8
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 9
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 10
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 11
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 12
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 13
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 14
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 15
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 16
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 17
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 18
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 19
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 20
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 21
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 22
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 23
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 24
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 25
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 26
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 27
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 28
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 29
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 30
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 31
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 32
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 33
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 34
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 35
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 36
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 37
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 38
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 39
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 40
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 41
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 42
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 43
Cooperative Living May 2021 - 44
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cooperative-living-july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CL-May2024/cooperativelivingmay2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/CooperativeLiving-June2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cooperativelivingmay2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january-february2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-april2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january-february2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-april2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january-february2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-november-december2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-october2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-september2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-august2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-july2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-june2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-may2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-march-april2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-february2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/vmdaec/CooperativeLiving/cl-january2014
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com