Winter has begun. Have snow, don't have power (apartment, power lines)

[Nonesuch]

First snow accumulation of the season this afternoon, and as of a few minutes ago, first power outage of the winter.

PSNH is reporting 4% of their customer base have no power tonight.

[Sweetbottoms]

They need to put the lines underground. Half of the winter there I looked at the lines connected to our house drooping with ice so thick it needed a blowtorch to get off and couldn't get over how a supposed "city" didn't have underground wiring in this day in age.

[atgss]

Originally Posted by Sweetbottoms

They need to put the lines underground. Half of the winter there I looked at the lines connected to our house drooping with ice so thick it needed a blowtorch to get off and couldn't get over how a supposed "city" didn't have underground wiring in this day in age.

Relocating power lines underground is a HUGE financial undertaking.

Who will eventually pay or will want to?

Sure it would've been good to have lines underground but NE on the most part is "old" and that "technology" didn't exist when these wonderful/beautiful homes and infrastructure were built as well as parts of NH are sparsely populated.

[Sweetbottoms]

Originally Posted by lol-its-good4U

Relocating power lines underground is a HUGE financial undertaking.

Who will eventually pay or will want to?

Sure it would've been good to have lines underground but NE on the most part is "old" and that "technology" didn't exist when these wonderful/beautiful homes and infrastructure were built as well as parts of NH are sparsely populated.

The problem is it wants to stay "old" . In the long run it would be much more beneficial to put them underground instead of NH residents having to just accept being without power 3 4 or 5 times a winter in 12 degrees.

[buck naked]

NEW homes/developments are being built with underground power. Some towns have ordinances that REQUIRE underground utilities on new construction.

There is discussion at the State House re: the Northern Pass project and possible underground utilities. That removes the loudest complaints.

A study was done in 2011 discussing the cost of burying the current lines. Cost estimates were $43 BILLION over a period of 40 years.


NH residents and New England, in general, pays the highest retail electrical costs in the nation. $43 BILLION is just not going to fly now or at any time in the near future.

The only thing being done RIGHT NOW is cutting away the trees from the lines. Over the past 20 years, tree growth has been allowed and it's gotten out of hand. Trees are being trimmed back drastically and in some cases, being removed entirely to keep the potential for downed wires under control.

[sgthoskins]

Originally Posted by buck naked

NH residents and New England, in general, pays the highest retail electrical costs in the nation. $43 BILLION is just not going to fly now or at any time in the near future.

The only thing being done RIGHT NOW is cutting away the trees from the lines. Over the past 20 years, tree growth has been allowed and it's gotten out of hand. Trees are being trimmed back drastically and in some cases, being removed entirely to keep the potential for downed wires under control.

Yep.

Digging in the ground here isn't like digging in the midwest.

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by sgthoskins

Yep.

Digging in the ground here isn't like digging in the midwest.

In Iowa, I remember the topsoil was 9 feet deep (in prime farmland).... when I was in NH, 3" was considered "good". The 'Ditch-witches' were awesome at making the granite boulders float to the surface...
The soil here in the Far East is awesome, though the main crop is rubber trees... (and fresh fruit is a staple, not a delicacy, as you pull it off of the local garden plants).

[RainbowHope]

After being without power for 4 days a few years back, we got a generator. Money well spent. The power outages are not so upsetting now.

[skinut74]

a generator is a lot cheaper than what your rate would be if you were paying to have power lines relocated underground.

[SuperSparkle928]

Originally Posted by skinut74

a generator is a lot cheaper than what your rate would be if you were paying to have power lines relocated underground.

Exactly... didn't even know when the power went out (sensor detected when a few 60Hz cycles were missed). Though a gas/diesel generator will work, the issue is fuel. At one place, I tied into the house oil tanks, but NG is the best solution. (if available in your area). LNG/Propane is rather expensive, but will get the job done. System cycled every week, for reliability. Way cheaper than underground lines, even though we had them, at some point in the delivery, there were above-ground lines, and back then (don't know if it is still true), living in a remote area was purely a secondary issue with PSNH, and understandably why.
That is the nature of New England (I can't complain now, as being only 8 degrees north of the equator and 12K miles away).
Love New England... would never trade it for anything south of Research Triangle.... even if free.
Takes a little bit of self-sufficiency... but that is not exactly rocket science.

If you are in a condo/apartment, it gets much stickier.... a private house is cake. Was 'off the grid' for months, and didn't care... the house was at 80F, water ran, lighting everywhere, septic was fine.... Only had to chase the yahoo hunters off my land (topic for another thread, but they are intimidated when you walk up to them with a FA MP5).

Enjoy NE...