Eversource estimates at more than $28 billion the cost of entrenching one of every four miles of its Connecticut power lines, in any effort to reduce the odds of power outages during storms — and more than $61 billion for the remaining wires. The subsequent estimate averages out to about $50,000 for each of Eversource’s 1.2 million customers in Connecticut — or $75,000 if excluding the third of customers already connected to the grid via underground lines. The $61.7 billion figure amounts to a fraction of Eversource’s costs to remove trees and branches threatening lines and repairing lines after storms, totaling more than $1.5 billion between 2010 and 2019. Eversource spent less than $15 million last year on the operation and maintenance of underground lines and systems in its grid, versus $130 million for the lines strung overhead. Strung out over the lifeline of a power line that spans several decades, that can amount to billions of dollars in savings. Isaias overwhelmed the Connecticut grid, with Eversource crews responding to more than 21,600 points of failure. More than a million customers lost power during the storm and afterward, for intervals spanning a few minutes to more than nine days in a handful of towns including Greenwich, Wilton and Redding.
https://www.ctinsider.com/business/stamfordadvocate/article/Want-underground-power-lines-across-CT-It-could-15569605.php?src=stpromostrip&_ga=2.154084408.1466991494.1600252057-1033831744.1572817739