Burying AC power lines causes them to incur higher losses than aerial, as the alternating current interacts with the surrounding earth. This generates heat in

Burying AC power lines causes them to incur higher losses than aerial, as the alternating current interacts with the surrounding earth. This generates heat in the insulation and eventually the insulation will fail. Our neighborhood recently had the lines dug up and replace due to this - they were 35 years old. The aerial lines to the neighborhood are much older and have never been replaced. To get around this, you can go HVDC, but that really only makes sense when you have a long distance line. Pretty pricey. Varmints like gophers will dig down, encounter a power line, and then attempt to dig through it. Those are fun to repair. Also, varmints with backhoes have been known to take them out.