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My entire development, which is basically my entire town consisting of multiple developments, has underground utilities. I like them, we have not had any issues in several large storms and it makes for nice aesthetics. However, just having them buried is no guarantee of anything.
There are still transformer and utility junction boxes that have to be above ground and these are basically sitting in some peoples yards. You can nicely landscape around them, but they are certainly vulnerable to being damaged or vandalized. Replacing any lines that actually run to the house is monumentally much more expensive because of being buried. My neighborhood will NEVER get FiOS for this reason as any sort of retrofit of upgraded lines is prohibitively expensive versus just stringing new lines on a pole. Even though my utilities are buried in my neighborhood there are still poles, high tension lines and substations that get the power to the neighborhood. Still though, I imagine substations and large lines get attention before individual lines in a community if there is damage.
Overall, I'm not convinced it's the best thing or the worst thing. Outside of storm damage, which you can still be impacted by, there is almost no benefit outside of aesthetics. The biggest drawback is that any replacements are very expensive and running any kind of new lines for new types of service is pretty much not going to happen. I think, as others said, it is probably a reasonable choice in a new community, but retro-fitting older communities is simply not worth the money.
I grew up in a house with underground wires and now my place has overhead wires. I think overhead wires are the better solution for many of the reasons listed in the responses. You have to additionally worry about rain drainage directions, animals (mice, etc.), maintenance headaches, etc. when you have underground lines. We had problems all of the time growing up with every type of telecommunication service (Verizon phone lines, Comcast Cable lines, etc.). When the Verizon line needed to be replaced, a crew of people needed to come out, ruin the lawn, run a new buried line, etc. I agree - it makes for a nice aesthetic until something goes wrong.
I was in many countries in Europe and never saw a single overhead power line anywhere.... America and Canada are well behind in terms of infrastructure
I think all trees near power lines should be removed. I should never see a branch hanging over a wire. That would reduce the problem significantly. I don't even want trees too close to the road. There is no need for trees near power lines or near roadways. Beauty be damned. If I want to hang out in the trees I can make the 100 foot walk away from the road to see them once they are all cut back to a sensible buffer.
So you want the ugly overhead power lines be even more visible?
It's embarrassing having people over here from Europe seeing over ugly overhead power lines hanging everywhere making it look like third-world country. Thank God New York City is underground (At least in Manhattan).
I was in many countries in Europe and never saw a single overhead power line anywhere.... America and Canada are well behind in terms of infrastructure
We never had the advantage of starting from scratch...
What most people here do not realize is that underground power needs barely and very rarely any repairs, except during major earthquake (Which is very rare in our region). Repairing underground does not cost that much more than repairing overhead power lines (Of which you need to do frequently)
I was in many countries in Europe and never saw a single overhead power line anywhere.... America and Canada are well behind in terms of infrastructure
Plenty of them in Italy and Greece--I was in both countries earlier this year.
Plenty of them in Italy and Greece--I was in both countries earlier this year.
Maybe in rural areas, but never in suburban or cities. I'm also talking more about western Europe, which is wealthier and more developed. Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, etc. all underground!
Maybe in rural areas, but never in suburban or cities.
Wrong.
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