This weekend’s windstorm has some New Brunswickers questioning why power lines are not buried underground.
Vice President of Customer Service Lynn Arsenault says the power industry estimates it costs ten times more to bury power lines, instead of leaving them overhead.
“We do have underground lines in certain locations because in some cases it is prudent to have wires buried, but to have our whole lines buried, that would be something that would be cost prohibitive,” says Arsenault.
NB Power states on their website they have more than 27,000 kilometres of high and medium voltage power lines throughout the province.
Arsenault says because of the way the utility operates, the costs of burying the entire system would have to be borne by ratepayers, with increased bills.
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Photo Credit: Wade Perry