Subdude Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I remain a bit baffled by the issue. In Europe power lines in dense urban areas are almost always buried, to a large extent because it is considered cheaper when repair costs are factored in. Are the economics that different in the rest of the world? As I mentioned above though, I don't think the economics argument holds up in rural areas. It seems that after the experience of Ike people would be screaming to have the lines better protected. Is cheapest upfront always the best alternative? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm1fd Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Just as a sidenote, we didnt have easements in Pennsylvania. Before you did any digging for a shed or something, you would call a 1-800 number and all utility lines, gas, electric, cable, phone, etc would be marked for you with little flags... all for free.So you could pour a slab for a garage or something over these lines, no problem? What happens when a repair needs to be made underneath your garage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 I remain a bit baffled by the issue. In Europe power lines in dense urban areas are almost always buried, to a large extent because it is considered cheaper when repair costs are factored in. Are the economics that different in the rest of the world? As I mentioned above though, I don't think the economics argument holds up in rural areas. It seems that after the experience of Ike people would be screaming to have the lines better protected. Is cheapest upfront always the best alternative? Not to mention the fact that they practically had to rebuild most of the cities after the war. Any infrastructure is easy to plan when you've been bombed to the stone age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Underground utilities aren't a magic bullet. My husband works for a tv station and he says there are still neighborhoods with underground utilites without power. When I lived in Katy, with underground utilities, my power and cable when out regulary for long periods of time, even without a storm.Well, it sure looks alot better when they are not seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Not to mention the fact that they practically had to rebuild most of the cities after the war. Any infrastructure is easy to plan when you've been bombed to the stone age.Far from every city was "bombed to the stone age". In any event they still manage to bury the lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 So you could pour a slab for a garage or something over these lines, no problem? What happens when a repair needs to be made underneath your garage?The line is pulled out of the pipe. Lines under slabs go into pipe, usually PVC, so that a damaged wire can be pulled and replaced. Generally, water does not bother the wire itself. Transformers need to be placed above flood levels though, as they will short out if submerged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Chenevert Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 So you could pour a slab for a garage or something over these lines, no problem? What happens when a repair needs to be made underneath your garage?Keep in mind, and I should have repeated myself, I am talking a rural area of Pennsylvania. Most properties were between 2 and 5 acres. If you just had to have the garage slab poured over the power lines, you took the risk that it might have to get torn up for repairs. Most likely, you just moved the garage a few feet. People weren't exactly cramped for space. HOWEVER... I cannot remember a time in the 22 years I spent there that anyone ever had to come and fix the lines. I mean seriously people, the things dont just deteriorate.But even so, here in town you arent allowed to put a garage on the city property between the sidewalk and the street, so I dont see the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 It is actually not an issue for new construction. As I stated before, virtually every master planned community built in the last 30 years has buried utilities. The problem is retrofitting established neighborhoods. It is simple to lay lines underground when nothing exists, and the cost of burying the cable is built into the price that the lot is sold for, but in established neighborhoods, things have gotten in the way over the years, and (the bigger issue) there is no mechanism for recouping the cost of burying the cable....at least, not a simple mechanism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsb320 Posted September 26, 2008 Share Posted September 26, 2008 They've recently replaced the water lines in my established neighborhood using a boring method. Why couldn't this be done for power lines? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbarz Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 I have been getting bids from centerpoint to bury the lines in my backyard so I can give you hard prices. I have 260 feet of lines that I want buried. Centerpoint gave me a bid of $17500 to install the underground lines. But, there is still a lot of work that I would have to do to get that price. I have to dig the hole the lines go in. I also have to build the thing the lines go in which is a three conduit line concrete box about 2'x3' with a bunch of special requirements. Then I have to cover up the hole. This would probably run about $5,000. The added bonus is that Comcast and Southwestern bell would still have to come out and run their lines. I have not been able to get a price from them. Although, one of their operators told me it was free, I would be shocked if that was true.Unfortunately this still isn't the whole cost. I have to pay to have the overhead lines removed and some new poles put in to take care of the ones that were removed. I do not know the break down on how much removal is and how much install is, but the total for both is $19,150Grand total $41,650 plus Comcast and SW Bell costs.As far as this discussion goes there will be economies of scale and redundancy in my numbers if you are doing the whole city, but I would guess that the $17,000 per house is closer than the $3500 per house mentioned earlier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 They've recently replaced the water lines in my established neighborhood using a boring method. Why couldn't this be done for power lines?Or, could those two (Centerpoint and the water companies) replace lines together and cut down on costs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted November 23, 2008 Share Posted November 23, 2008 Or, could those two (Centerpoint and the water companies) replace lines together and cut down on costs?It would only add to the cost in existing neighborhoods unless there was some particular reason that the water lines were already going to be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted November 24, 2008 Share Posted November 24, 2008 They've recently replaced the water lines in my established neighborhood using a boring method. Why couldn't this be done for power lines?It can be. See post #36, above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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