Why don't we bury powerlines?

Many people ask why we don't bury powerlines to prevent power outages.

There are several answers to that question.

We Do

We do bury power lines in new subdivisions and for all new construction. It is much easier and less disruptive to bury powerlines when a subdivision is being built then it is to dig up roads, sidewalks and lawns to bury them later on.

Cost

It's also much more expensive to bury power lines - it costs about 8 to 10 times more to bury lines than build them overhead. That would result in significantly higher rates for our customers.

Disruptions to Customers

Burying existing overhead powelines requires significant disruptions affecting customer’s homes and business. This can include tearing up roads, landscaping, lawns, etc. along with changes required to customer owned equipment and services.

Safety & Reliability

While it is true that power outages are less common where lines are buried, they do still happen and when they do, they are often much longer because there is a lot more work involved in fixing the problem.

When power outages happen on overhead powerlines, they are less costly and quicker to repair.