West Coast power cuts

It happens a ton, but at least at that point it's not your responsibility anymore. And depending what it is, they usually do a better job on the more dangerous stuff.
 
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  • #58
PG&E , actually said they are considering putting some transmission lines underground ... for decades the standard answer was it's way too expensive
 
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  • #60
I worked at the ski area summer crew during a huge Snowmaking upgrade , we put uderground and pulled over five miles of three phase , sure some places were tough but it's all doable
 
Some, as you said, will get done. But most will stay above ground. PG&E never kept up with maintaining the grid they have now. They like to charge you some of the highest rates in the nation for that privilege of plugging into their failing system.
First threatened and chastised by by our fug tard of a governor until he got his lobby money to go to bat for them. Yeah, he helped them kind of skate around those nasty little charges and suits for folks dying in fires their negligence started. Little slap on the wrist, now get back to work boys.
I love these little feel good propaganda pieces right before an election. And recall. See. Gov aint all bad, we'll fix it cause he told us too.
You should hear the contractors replacing shit up here. They are not liking how bad it's gotten. Dangerous bad.
Now granted, i am thrilled the State did not just take them over. Serious fug fest that would have screwed cutomers with even higher rates.
 
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  • #64
When asked to put lines underground the Power Companies scream "it can be up to three times more expensive" , ooooooooo what a hit, even if true in some spots f uck'em I say. Quite profitable utilities are , better and safer investment of their money which they wil make back ten fold , how about no regular line clearance contracts
 
- clearance of ROW would still occur (like gas), you'd simply be replacing required trimming trees. for mastication & chemical treatments.
- the way most utilities charge it would just be another added charge on the customers' bill...most likely the companies will hold off until this extra charge is allowed by the authorizing body.
 
Gas piping is far safer than buried power to work around too. Very dangerous when you have buried electrical, and it would be everywhere. Most gas line you hit is plastic distribution pipe, which is very easy (relatively speaking) for the crews to come fix. The metal stuff is safe to work on as well (again, relative and using professionals trained in this), but with power laborers get killed immediately, and makes a silent kill zone for civilians too. Intentionally digging it up is super dangerous, because the laborer is in or right by the ditch helping the machine dig. Underground power is what is prompting the standards to shift to hydroexavating for utility work. Not to mention the rock you guys have there.
 
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  • #67
main thing is risk vs. reward , like all decisions ... put it underground, might increase danger for some line workers at some point in the future , okay maybe , burning down an entire town and killing eighty five people with above ground kinda sucks. As far as digging (here anyways) we ran up a ski mt. , here and there we needed demolition point work and used Driller Blasters from Maine and New Hampshire to get our depth spec. Few extra bucks but not a big deal at all. Everything is mapped before backfillng ... 1 800 DIG SAFE
 
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  • #68
$50,000,000 settlement ! Probably Insurance Company money but .... damn , fifty millions dollars could have put many miles of Transmission Lines underground
 
Where I live on the coast, fires are easily contained. Just 20 miles inland it's a tender box that can burst into flame with just one spark.

As wild-land fires goes transmission lines are seldom a problem, as the right of ways are cleared so wide there's hardly a tree that can knock the lines down.

The 12 KV distribution, on the other hand, covers a much broader network through the mountains. Those right of ways are cut more narrow through mostly forests habitat. No surprise trees are a major cause of fires. But percentage wise, regionally, human activities rank as the major cause of most wild-land fires.

It would be expensive to put all distribution lines underground. Sounds good, though.
 
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  • #73
Changes at PG&E , they now believe in going underground ... safer , and a better investment. New management new plan.
 
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  • #75
call me the guy that called it in advance , putting it underground ... not dozens , not hundreds, but THOUSANDS of miles in Cali going subterranean ! (Customer rates go up ?)
 
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