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They could just put the lines underground and be done with it.

• Aloha 7y ago
  And your electric rates would reflect the multi billion dollar investment to do that.
  • dragonwriter 7y ago
    Instead, the electric rates reflect the multibillion cost of the dividends PG&E paid while not safeguarding it's lines properly, either by burying or clearing trees, etc., around them. You are paying billions of dollars either way, the question is whether you are getting safer electrical infrastructure or richer power company shareholders out of it.
    • Aloha 7y ago
      The cost while incalculable by me, I'd guess is likely north of 100b dollars to bury everything. It's probably 1b alone for just the environmental impact statements.
      • Gibbon1 7y ago
        As part of some settlement PG&E buried the lines in my old neighborhood. Took three years. I heard some comments that at that rate they could underground all the lines in San Francisco in about 400 years. I'm unsure but I think a lot of the issue is that feeder lines are often run through unfortunate areas. Fire prone, subject to high winds, and difficult to reach quickly. One suspects that under grounding is likely impossible. Instead they would need to reroute the lines. Then there are all the diffuse rural suburbs.
        • Aloha 7y ago
          I figure it'd take 50 years, if everyone signed on and approved.