EPIC failure by Tampa Bay area utility companies (buy, living in)

[bobandsherry]

Originally Posted by Badbird2000

Cost is one (big) factor to running power underground:


According to the May 2011 paper "Underground Electric Transmission Lines" published by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, "The estimated cost for constructing underground transmission lines ranges from 4 to 14 times more expensive than overhead lines of the same voltage and same distance. A typical new 69 kV overhead single-circuit transmission line costs approximately $285,000 per mile as opposed to $1.5 million per mile for a new 69 kV underground line (without the terminals). A new 138 kV overhead line costs approximately $390,000 per mile as opposed to $2 million per mile for underground (without the terminals)."


Also, factor in cost for repairs when there is a problem: Trenching, cutting, splicing, permits, etc.


My mom finally got power back on last night around 8:30. She lives in the Seffner area.

Also mentioned in that article:

Who Pays?
As the additional construction time, specialty cable costs and excavation costs continue to increase, the issue of who bears these differential costs remains unsolved. Typically the differential costs for new distribution services are paid by the developer according to a regulated tariff. The developer may then pass those costs to home buyers who purchase property fed by underground power lines. For example, in an Orlando, Fla., neighborhood, each home buyer must pay an additional $15,000 as his or her share of the costs for underground power service.

Link to article:
Underground vs. Overhead: Power Line Installation-Cost Comparison and Mitigation

[KPB]

West chase is all underground and still no power so just because its underground doesn't mean your power will stay on at all times.

[BucFan]

Before, after hurricane pictures of electricity in FL (May/Sept)/ What Florida's massive, post-Irma power outage looked like from space. That really bright spot down in the TB area ---my house. Sorry folks. I got lucky this time.

Sorry Carl with the Vette @ Danashores.

[bobandsherry]

Saw on Channel 8 news that TECO now has 4,000 working to fix problem. TECO is expecting that all customers to be back in service by end of day on Sunday.

We expect essentially all customers to be back in service by end of day on Sunday, Sept. 17 and are updating the estimated time to restore individual outages as we address each major set of work. Thank you for your patience.

Duke is also expecting to have most all customers restored by then, two counties (Hardee and Highlands) are still unclear due to "rebuilding".

Restoration in the severely impacted areas of Hardee and Highlands counties may extend beyond Sunday due to rebuilding the electrical system that suffered significant damage in those areas.

And to sinatras, as FYI - FPL is slowest at getting lights back on here, reporting outages for customers on Florida west coast by end of day Wednesday. Florida east coast customers to have service by end of day Sunday.

FPL crews are restoring power safely and as quickly as possible. We estimate we will have restored power to essentially all of our customers along the east coast service territory by end of day, Sept. 17, and for customers along the west coast service territory by end of day, Sept. 22, with the possible exception of areas impacted by tornadoes, severe flooding and other pockets of severe damage.

[BucFan]

Hulk Hogan calls people complaining about no power or water after Irma 'crybabies' | Tampa Bay Times

[bobandsherry]

Raleigh-based lineman misses son’s wedding to restore power in Florida. For those who complain not enough being done, think about those who are giving up so much to get your power restored.

[mph101]

Originally Posted by KPB

West chase is all underground and still no power so just because its underground doesn't mean your power will stay on at all times.

Indeed! Whatever goes down must come up and vise versa. People seem to forget that. Those big metal high tensions line towers (Godzilla knows) aren't below ground. Flooding will destroy a underground line. Those green transformer boxes in many a up scale neighborhood will go ka-BOOM in the night. Don't be naive and think that you'll always have power if your local lines are buried for aesthetics.

[Irishiis49]

Originally Posted by BucFan

Hulk Hogan calls people complaining about no power or water after Irma 'crybabies' | Tampa Bay Times

Complaining when you get caught on video tape screwing around on your wife of 25 years is a crybaby...really Terry just go away...

[bobandsherry]

Originally Posted by KPB

West chase is all underground and still no power so just because its underground doesn't mean your power will stay on at all times.

Nothing is absolute, but it does greatly reduce the chances of power outages from tree's falling on electrical lines and utility poles being knocked over.

[bobandsherry]

Interesting article. Concludes:

But alternatives, such as proper vegetation management practices, replacing wood poles with steel, concrete or composite ones, or reinforcing utility poles with guy wires, may be nearly as effective in mitigating storm damage and may cost less.

Also, undergrounding power lines may make them more susceptible to damage from corrosive storm surge and flooding from rainfall or melting ice and snow. Areas with greater vulnerability to storm surge and flooding will confront systems that are less reliable (and at greater cost) as a result of undergrounding.

So, the relocation of some power lines underground may provide a cost-effective strategy to mitigate the risk of damage to elements of a utility’s infrastructure. But these cases should be evaluated individually by the local distribution utility and its regulator. Otherwise consumers will end up spending more for their electricity service, and getting less.

Should the US put power lines underground?