saigonk t1_jd8vx6n wrote on March 22, 2023 at 5:50 PM

The maximum voltage underground is way less than overhead, so that means it takes more lines and more conduits to feed more power I believe it is like 70kv vs 400kv so there's that part.

Thats a huge, and I mean HUGE expenditure before you even move one ounce of electricity, and with pre-existing lines it makes no sense to do that based on cost alone. Now you want to add in the infrastructure of all that solar in the middle of the highway?

Mainers love the idea of underground power, hell I have it in my neighborhood, but I also have a pole at the corner of our road that ties into other poles. Trenching underground is an expensive proposition.

No one in their right mind would replace existing lines that can carry close to 6x the power that already exist with underground lines.

Arsenault185 t1_jdb0ovi wrote on March 23, 2023 at 2:29 AM

> so that means it takes more lines and more conduits to feed more

What? You simply bury the exact same gauge lines that you would run overhead.

saigonk t1_jdb1syu wrote on March 23, 2023 at 2:38 AM

No, you can’t bury excessive amounts of power underground. Insulation is the issue.

It’s also somewhere on the order of 7-8x more expensive to run underground.

Arsenault185 t1_jdb2ned wrote on March 23, 2023 at 2:44 AM

Well, TIL something.

saigonk t1_jdb2z4r wrote on March 23, 2023 at 2:47 AM

No worries, underground would be amazing everywhere, but all the money, upkeep, etc. can be astronomical.

Even the ground above the pipes should be kept clear of vegetation so that roots don’t penetrate or shift conduits, now another added cost.

I get the idea the OP is trying to spin, but it just isn’t feasible.

Arsenault185 t1_jdb32ul wrote on March 23, 2023 at 2:48 AM

I currently live in texas and almost everything is buried underground. Assumed that wasn't a concern.