I encouarge all Americans to start diggin'. If they won't bury them for us, we'll do it ourselves!
Just think....no more outages...ever.
Per
link, "Although underground line is often thought of as more reliable than overhead line, the reliability improvement is small, he said. Buried lines have less exposure to the elements, which lowers power interruption frequency (SAIFI: system average interruption frequency index); it takes longer for personnel to locate and repair problems, however, which increases power interruption frequency (CAIDI: customer average interruption duration index)."
Per
link, "Five years of underground and overhead reliability comparisons for North Carolina’s investor-owned electric utilities – Duke Energy, Progress Energy and Dominion – found that the frequency of outages on underground systems was 50% less than for overhead systems, but the average duration of an underground outage was 58% longer. Because those repair times are typically much longer, customers served by underground lines are usually among the last to have power restored. Long term reliability is also an issue. As underground lines get older, they become less reliable. In fact, a Maryland utility found that customers served by 40-year-old overhead lines had better reliability than those served by 20-year-old underground lines."
Per
link, "Although underground lines are protected from damage, they are harder to repair than overhead lines. Faults on the line are more difficult to find, and as a result, it takes longer for the repair to be made. Repairs to underground lines are also more costly and time consuming than those made to overhead lines. However, overhead lines are more likely than underground lines to suffer damage because they are exposed to ice and wind. Even though overhead lines are more susceptible to outages than their underground counterparts, the reliability of overhead distribution lines remains strong."
Interesting article from 1883 re: aerial lines in NYC.
But ... anyways, who can help me with my original question?
I'm beginning to wonder if their mere presence could be adverse possession of a prescriptive easement. That's legal-speak for if its been there for a long time (length varying by jurisdiction) then it can stay. Anyone know?
Jason