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That’s exactly what I was thinking,I’d like to know how much has been spent on it over the last several decades! While installing lines underground might cost a lot initially,it will safe money in the long run.
I just read Duke Power alone is scheduling well into the 100's of millions just for Florence power grid rebuilding. Multiply that by several storms and mini storms over the past 20 years and you have a perfectly functional underground system virtually impervious to weather related events. There will still be short term power grid shutdowns because of regulations governing power plant shut downs in the event of weather, but these are minor and only last as long as the natural disaster threatening the power plant structure itself.
I've wondered about the long-term cost/benefit of underground power lines. Underground power cables would seem less vulnerable to errant drivers, downed trees and ice storms, but there are probably other challenges. If some fix or maintenance is required, I'd think it would be more difficult to maintain an underground power cable. A "bucket truck" might be cheaper to purchase/operate than a "trencher truck," but maybe in the long-term you'd need fewer "trencher trucks?" Dunno the answer, but I'd guess someone has crunched those numbers.
And there's always the long-term/short-term investment conflict. Long-term payoffs won't help boost next quarter's results (probably make them worse, in fact).
And to bring this (kinda) back on topic - on the way home from AVL Wednesday I saw 2+ miles of "bucket trucks" in a huge caravan headed east on I-40 (MM 39 to my exit at MM 37 - with no end in sight).
I've wondered about the long-term cost/benefit of underground power lines. Underground power cables would seem less vulnerable to errant drivers, downed trees and ice storms, but there are probably other challenges. If some fix or maintenance is required, I'd think it would be more difficult to maintain an underground power cable. A "bucket truck" might be cheaper to purchase/operate than a "trencher truck," but maybe in the long-term you'd need fewer "trencher trucks?" Dunno the answer, but I'd guess someone has crunched those numbers.
And there's always the long-term/short-term investment conflict. Long-term payoffs won't help boost next quarter's results (probably make them worse, in fact).
And to bring this (kinda) back on topic - on the way home from AVL Wednesday I saw 2+ miles of "bucket trucks" in a huge caravan headed east on I-40 (MM 39 to my exit at MM 37 - with no end in sight).
If you have a leak in your roof, you really don't think about it until it rains. While it's sunny it's out of mine, but when it rains you can't fix it because it's raining. Maybe that philosophy carries over to burying power lines. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. When it is broke fix it in a hurry without regard to long term fixes.
Plus, i would guess the local, state and feds pump some emergency money into the short term fix, but not into long term underground fixes.
The cost associated with that over 2 mile column of bucket trucks would not be forthcoming for routine upgrades such as burying lines.
I was traveling along I40 from Hickory to Morganton Thursday morning and saw several bucket trucks heading East just in that short stretch.
I just read Duke Power alone is scheduling well into the 100's of millions just for Florence power grid rebuilding. Multiply that by several storms and mini storms over the past 20 years and you have a perfectly functional underground system virtually impervious to weather related events. There will still be short term power grid shutdowns because of regulations governing power plant shut downs in the event of weather, but these are minor and only last as long as the natural disaster threatening the power plant structure itself.
I can tell that we think alike! Told my husband about this discussion last night,he’s in the Water/Sewer/Stormdrain business,I told him about one of the arguments against undergrounding seems to be the issue about running into bedrock and that the power lines need to be buried 24” deep. He mentioned a fact that for some reason hadn’t occurred to me yet,he said that if sewer and water lines can get buried 8’ or even deeper than why not power Lines? As some of you know,I’m originally from Germany and there power lines have been underground for as long as I can remember and power outages are just about unheard of, of course while they do not have to deal with hurricanes they do get tornadoes and other strong storms.
Yet another issue to consider when it comes to recovery cost is the loss to businesses,manufacturing etc. when it comes to prolonged power outages!
Florence still predicted at 11am update to move further west, then north over western NC.
It has weakened somewhat but I’m sure that there is still a lot more to come before it is all over with,hopefully it will continue to weaken!
Stay safe everyone!
The entire Blue Ridge Parkway (all 469 miles in NC & VA) closed tonight at 8:00 pm "until further notice." The BRP real-time map isn't completely red yet, but it appears they're working on it. https://www.nps.gov/maps/full.html?m...36.187/-80.030
The maintenance staff who would be doing any debris clean-up don't work on weekends, so my best guess is that the NPS doesn't have the budget to pay them overtime for weekend work.
I work for the Southern Highland Craft Guild near Blowing Rock. We were told this morning not to plan on re-opening until Wednesday.
Hopefully, the storm won't be as bad as expected in WNC.
lived in Florida for many a Hurricane including being without power for 5 out of 6 weeks(power came on after 3 weeks then a week later transformer blew for two more /sigh). Found handy things to have not mentioned here. Camping Lanterns Amazon has several types which will charge multiple ways including USB, Batteries, cranking and my favorite Solar. Leave them on at night and recharge during the day. There are also many small solar chargers which you can get to recharge your USB devices without having to run the car and wasting gas. I also like to keep Colapsable water containers around, They are cheap don't take a lot of room and if a storm is coming fill them up. Also even a little breeze can feel good if you are without AC for a week so battery powered Fans can feel better then you can imagine.
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