Dixie Electric General Manager Randy Smith answers a member submitted question about power lines.
Q: To avoid power outages during bad weather, why don’t co-ops just place all the power lines underground?
A: When major storms hit, it’s natural to ask why all power lines aren’t placed underground. On the surface, it seems like burying power lines would prevent outages. The reality is more complex.
First, the cost. Installing underground distribution lines can cost anywhere from five to upwards of 10 times more than overhead construction. As a member-owned cooperative, we don’t have shareholders absorbing that expense. Those costs would ultimately be paid by our members through higher rates. We work hard to keep electricity affordable while still maintaining reliability.
Second, restoration. While underground lines are protected from wind, they are not immune to damage. When an overhead line is damaged, crews can often see the problem immediately and begin repairs. When an underground line fails, many times the issue is hidden. Crews must first locate the fault using specialized equipment, then excavate, repair or replace the line, and restore the site. That process can take significantly longer.
Also, it’s not uncommon for people to think that underground construction means that everything is buried. It’s not. Pad-mounted transformers and sectionalizing equipment are located above ground, making them as susceptible to being damaged by vehicles as poles are. Underground cables can be susceptible to damage from nearby trees being uprooted during storms or high winds as well as from excavation activity on clear days. The cost, as well as the length of time, to repair underground cable and equipment can be significantly more than for overhead lines.
There’s also the matter of scale. At Dixie Electric, we serve over 42,000 meters across a largely rural footprint and over 5,000 miles of line. Converting an entire system to underground construction would require an extraordinary financial investment and years of construction.
That doesn’t mean underground has no place. In certain subdivisions, new developments, or specific high-density areas, underground construction can make sense. We evaluate those opportunities carefully. But systemwide, overhead construction remains the most practical and cost-effective way to serve a rural cooperative territory.
Our responsibility is to balance reliability, affordability, and speed of restoration. No system is storm proof, but we continuously evaluate how to strengthen ours in ways that are responsible to the members who own it.
Have a general question?
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