No easy fix in massive power outage

GOPUSA ^ | July 4, 2012 | Eric Tucker and Chris Kahn (Associated Press)

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

WASHINGTON (AP) - In the aftermath of storms that knocked out power to millions, sweltering residents and elected officials are demanding to know why it's taking so long to restring power lines and why they're not more resilient in the first place.

The answer, it turns out, is complicated: Above-ground lines are vulnerable to lashing winds and falling trees, but relocating them underground incurs huge costs - as much as $15 million per mile of buried line - and that gets passed onto consumers.

[nascarnation]

It would have all been fine if Bush would have put it underground.

Baraq told me so.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[danamco]

The spoiled beltway brats did not care a squat when we in Florida were out of power for weeks some times montha. I hope the home insurance company will treat them the SAME way they treated us!!!

[bill1952]

Wait until the next 30 coal fired plants go offline in the NE & the electric bills skyrocket.

LOL

[EGPWS]

In the aftermath of storms that knocked out power to millions, sweltering residents and elected officials are demanding to know why it's taking so long to restring power lines and why they're not more resilient in the first place.

What, 3 years or so without a budget out of the Senate and not even a peep however nature strikes and results are demanded NOW!

[Jane Long]

Bam's Katrina.

But, it's Bush's fault.

[Venturer]

Smeco had me back up and running in two hours , they did a beautiful job.

Smeco = Southern Md. Electric Coop.

[Autonomous User]

Boo Hoo. Woe is me. Man what a Bunch of pussies. Suck it up and deal with it.

[Rumplemeyer]

In 1882 or 1884 New York City had a massive snow storm and frigid temperatures, all the telephone, telegraph and electric wires and poles were destroyed, it took weeks to get the systems up and running. The Mayor at the time told the Utility Companies put everything underground to avoid the happening again, they refused...said it would cost too much...the Mayor told them, do it or I pull you fanchises to operate in the City. Notice that there a no telephone poles in NYC.
Grow some balls and call their bluff, it would put a lot of people to work...

[bravo whiskey]

good. they can save the planet by not using electricity all summer for all i care. bunch of ne elitist know-it-alls. how are those volts doing?
ok feeling a tad bitter/better right now.

[GreenHornet]

In addition to having no lights, no air conditioning, etc., people in the affected areas who bought an electric car have no transportation.

[upchuck]

LOL! What a bunch of wimps.

This is the gentlest of breezes compared to what they would be experiencing if the derecho had been an EMP.

Obviously these folks were not prepared. Maybe now they will get that way. Nah, prolly not.

[Uncle Slayton]

I bet they got the power turned on at the White House right away, all while others in the area suffer.

[chris37]

Let wind power save them.

Give them algae.

[BuffaloJack]

On October 27, 2006, we had a massive ice storm in the Buffalo, New York area.
I personally had no electricity, phone, cable, or heat for 14 days and it was cold outside.
Five days is a long time, but lots of peoole have done without for lots longer time.

[nascarnation]

Wouldn’t make a bit of difference.
They have multiple level backup generator power.

[Truth29]

"In addition to having no lights, no air conditioning, etc., people in the affected areas who bought an electric car have no transportation."

And for those with electric well pumps - no running water.

[DManA]

but relocating them underground incurs huge costs

Well yea if you do it in one big project. Break it up into manageable pieces. Only do as much as you can afford in one year. If it takes 50 years to do it so be it but get started. It’s a worthwhile project.

[Domangart]

I don’tsee the problem These things need to be “replaced”
Sewer lines
gas lines
water lines
electric lines
cable lines
phone lines