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Powerlines: On polls or Underground?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by rpr52121, Oct 31, 2011.

  1. rpr52121

    rpr52121 Sober Fan
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    Reading the numerous numbers of power outages this past year from Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and now Nor'easterners, I wanted to see your thoughts about burying power lines.

    America is one of the few 1st world countries that uses power lines and poles for power ubiquitously. A conundrum given the number of national disasters we often face involving wind and falling objects that are much more than much of Europe, Australia, and even most of urbanized East Asia (save Japan).

    True underground power lines costs a lot of money especially in areas that are already developed. It also is much more difficult to fix problems when they occur. However, much fewer problems and power outages occur with underground power lines rather than above ground power lines.

    Tornadoes, Trees, Hail, Hurricanes, Wind, Snow, an idiot on a ladder, etc can all cause a power line to be snapped or a pole to fall down, causing power outages. True once the storm responsible has passed, they can typically be fixed quickly, but why put ourselves in a position to have to deal with that? Especially given how much current society relies on electricity and technology.
     
  2. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Contributing Member
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    I don't really have an opinion either way but would be interested in seeing cost benefit analysis of underground versus overhead lines.
     
  3. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    You just wanted to start a thread using the words ubiquitously and conundrum.
     
  4. RedRedemption

    RedRedemption Contributing Member

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    Wouldn't it be more difficult to repair if say a power line gets cut underground?
     
  5. bobrek

    bobrek Politics belong in the D & D

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    Right, but it would be good to see studies as to how often an underground cable gets cut vs. an overhead cable. If the cost is 5 times more but it occurs 7 times less, then it would appear to be a better long term investment to have underground cables.
     
  6. Dubious

    Dubious Contributing Member

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    I was involved in some cost/benefit analysis for large scale land planning in Houston in the 80's (The Woodlands, First Colony, Greatwood). We landscape architects were more concerned with aesthetics and since the increased cost per foot to go underground was more than a factor of 100, we mostly lost. I don't recall that hurricane threats played a great deal into the decisions.

    My dim memory is that a standard service power line cost then about $20 a lineal foot on poles and $200 a lineal foot under ground. And, in Houston, groundwater and water tables are always as much of a concern a anything. Anything four feet underground is like it's in a lake. So we don't have basements, subways and the underpasses are always wet.
     
    #6 Dubious, Oct 31, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 31, 2011
  7. CrazyDave

    CrazyDave Contributing Member

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    Polls. It seems to be working. Well, except here there was no poll. Wait, I see what you did there.
     
  8. Xerobull

    Xerobull You son of a b!tch! I'm in!

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    Doesn't seem like a D&D thread.

    Also, it's poles. Not polls....which may make it a D&D thread.
     
  9. MoonDogg

    MoonDogg Member

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    I prefer poles.
    [​IMG]
     
  10. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Poles that are underground. Also with a railroad for mining cars to allow for thrilling chase sequences.
     
  11. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Power lines should be underground --> PERIOD. I'm sick of people posting this BS every few weeks in the D & D...

    PREPARE FOR THE FLAME WAR.
     
  12. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    The only place I see above ground powerlines in Austin are in rural areas.
     
  13. CrazyDave

    CrazyDave Contributing Member

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    thank you for playing.
     
  14. geeimsobored

    geeimsobored Contributing Member

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    On a serious note, burying only works in cities with high density. New York City for example has buried power lines. However, burying power lines is much much more expensive than putting them on poles and for a city like Houston, it simply wouldn't be economical. You would end up burying miles of lines for a few houses at a time. You need dense populations, hence why certain large urbanized areas in Europe and Asia have them.
     
  15. MadMax

    MadMax Contributing Member

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    OBAMA!!!! (shakes fist)
     
  16. TexasFight

    TexasFight Member

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    all of our power lines are underground up here and when we had the 24+" of snowfall in one day in Feb - didn't lose power for a single moment... underground lines are the t***.
     
  17. HombreDeHierro

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    sugar land is mostly underground, its nice
     
  18. da_juice

    da_juice Member

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    Wish ours were underground; we have wires all over the place because of the snow.
     

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