MissT, T-Town (12/12/2007 11:56:54 AM)

"The high costs of burying lines needs to be weighed against the benefits of such a program," he said. - Well let's see here, I mean let's really weigh this, the high cost of burying lines against the hundred's of thousands of people who could lose power again. Not to mention poor AEP/PSO losing out on all of thier money and the cost to repair damages and move debris. Tough call huh?

kl, Tulsa (12/12/2007 12:18:46 PM)

Wonder how that will go over with all the Tulsa neighborhoods that protested so strongly against having their lines buried because of the digging involved and those "ugly green boxes" that would be installed? (note slightly sarcastic tone there). Burying distribution lines would indeed be of tremendous help, and AEP/PSO has been working on doing that very thing for several years now. Perhaps those neighborhoods who were so violently opposed to burying lines will change their thinking now that they can see the benefits.

Jim, Tulsa (12/12/2007 12:19:47 PM)

Goofy article - what is the use of this one. Let's see... any other good "suggestions". Yes have americans drive slower, quit smoking, my third grader could have come up with this "suggestion" Roth must be a moron to get this article printed.

Peanuts, (12/12/2007 1:01:03 PM)

Jim... what a dumb, pointless thing to say. The issue is relavent, as the increased cost of burying the lines will get charged back to you (it gets included in the rate base). The public question here... are benefits worth the increased cost. Very few scenarios under which burying the lines will be the cheapest alternitive (vs. above ground and fixing when broken), but outages will be more difficult and common if you don't. Burying also requires conduit costs... for future maintainence capabilities.

Miss Tandy, Tulsa (12/12/2007 1:05:15 PM)

I propose that all residents (you midtowners know who you are) who won't let PSO bury the power lines in their back yard be the very last, after the city dump, to have power restored. They buried them in our neighborhood and we are nice and warm.

Midtown Tulsa, (12/12/2007 1:09:14 PM)

As a midtowner and member of our neighborhood association, we have been begging PSO/AEP to bury our electric lines for years!!! Excited to read this story!!!!

NG, (12/13/2007 4:57:31 AM)

even if the main distrubution lines are underground you still would have transmsion line problems and some substation problems

Midtowner , (12/13/2007 10:47:45 AM)

Can any of you answer this? Why is it that my electricity is down, but my digital cable is up?

And I know this as we have a generator going....what is up with this???

Nancy, rural (12/13/2007 11:09:54 AM)

Other than people's attitudes, the scary thing is that people don't care to get their lines located before they dig. Oh its just for a little tree or a mailbox or bird feeder....then they hit a buried electric line. I have buried telephone service and don't have to worry at all about service in an ice storm or tornado. But one idiot neighbor can cut me off. The big problem is that people don't care about each other, only themselves.

Mark, Northeast OK (12/13/2007 4:02:47 PM)

While burying the lines may seem obvious to some and a stupid idea to others, there are both benefits and drawbacks. The benefit is that the more lines you have buried, the less lines you have to replace due to a tornado, Ice storm, or other natural disaster. That means quicker restoration. The drawback is that it will take years to bury all the aerial power lines we have. What needs to happen is that all services and subdivisions from this point on should be buried. This would go a long way in decreasing the devistation that happens during the disasters. Then the power companies can concentrate on a buried placement program similar to what Phone companies started in the 70's and 80's. Targeting the burial of power lines over the next 5 to 10 years would allow the power companies to eventually reap a savings. The real problem is the public. It will require every person with a shovel, backhoe, and drill stem to call Oklahoma One call before they dig. As I remember, it is a state law that they call before digging anyway. Phone lines and water lines normally don't kill you when you dig through on, but buried power lines and buried gas lines do. I'm for buried power lines. The regulation is for them to be 3 feet or deeper. That helps to avoid being cut when small trees, shrubs, and gardens are put in. Bury the power lines. That way, I wouldn't have a broke line across my driveway. You will also clean up the scenary. The green boxes are prettier that a power pole every 300 feet with line across it. The birds may object as they will have to resort to sitting in the trees.

midwest ice, st. louis il (12/16/2007 10:31:15 AM)

I read all of this with great interest. Last year at nearly this same time, a similar storm devestated Missouri and Illinois; over 900K out of power due to ice. Everyone was back on in 10 days. I marvel at the wisdom of the OCC which is the equivalent of the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Missouri Public Service Commission. All of these regulatory bodies are useless in a situation like this where the weather has wreaked havoc and people are without power. Calls for more tree trimming, bury power lines which would cost billions (yes billions with a capital B), continual questioning and slams at the power companies, and it goes on and on. The bottom line is this. The commissions are politicians and they dont really care about people getting their power back; only making public statements to make them appear as if they are doing a good job. What they should be doing is trying the help the power companies to improving reliability in situations that can be controlled and not complaining about a 100 year ice storm. The utility companies dont want their customers to be out of power; its bad for business. But you would think the way these commission behave and the rhetoric they spew would suggest the opposite. the politicians always suggest ideas like burying power lines that cost more money than the average person is willing to pay but of course they dont mind spending other peoples money. I hope the OCC has more class and integrity than the Illinois and Missouri Commissions who have simply persevered to ruin the business of the utility companies for their personal and political gain. I will watch this with great interest as things unfold over the next few months. Great job by AEP-PSO. I hope they get the accolades that they truly deserve.

Maria, Tulsa (12/20/2007 9:03:32 PM)

The power lines should be long ago under ground,and the funds for such passed on or not available.There are many places in this world Countries that have all cables under ground,much worse connditions,and no power disasters.Please this is peimitive,get in to the 21 century,and oh how nice these places look without all poles and wires hanging all over the place.The cost to the people here,no more i bet that it's costing us to day.We will pay all they can get from the consumer one way or the other and no tree trimming or new lines if they can keep there profit.

The consumer bears the burden of these prehistoric lines.

Zippy, Tulsa (12/12/2007 3:17:09 PM)

I would encourage the Corporation Commission to act like a Utility Authority, and not a mouthpiece for utility providers. That's the same old saw that the electricity companies have been using for decades. C'mon Bob, a quarter of the state is in the dark and you want to tell us about "problems" with underground utilities? My street goes dark 3 or 4 times a year. ONG, and the City water and sewer providers...not one interruption in 8 years. Pshaw.

Midtown Bill, Tulsa (12/12/2007 3:47:16 PM)

So, they want to cut down my trees to burry their power lines? I only have this to say, "From my cold dead hands..."

kenny, broken arrow (12/12/2007 3:59:45 PM)

My neighborhood has "hot" electric lines underground, but we are still "cold" - electricity is out. Quit clowning. This article is a waste of space and pretty stupid. Suggest "putting them underground". I agree with Jim - Duh!

Zippy, Tulsa (12/12/2007 4:24:14 PM)

Kenny, the feeder lines to your neighborhood are not buried (nobody's are around here, to my knowledge), but, they can bury those pretty economically, too. All the way back to the substation. No overhead lines in your circuit, no interruption. To borrow a phrase from a certain goofy chef, "BAM!"

Jeff, BA (12/12/2007 4:31:13 PM)

This isn't rocket science people. Underground lines in the neighborhoods do no good until the main lines are buried as well. Until the main lines go underground there will always be a lot of outages during times like this.

What, (12/12/2007 7:26:04 PM)

What are you talking about Midtown Bill?

Jim, tulsa (12/12/2007 1:35:46 PM)

This article was pointless. What news does this give. That we ought to think about burying more lines? Duh? Quit suggesting and make something happen. Don't set there and give stupid, totally obvious suggestions. What a stupid story.

scott , tulsa (12/12/2007 1:40:20 PM)

they put it in a year ago between memorial and mingo 51st and it still went out..what a bunch of idiots

lucy, Tulsa (12/12/2007 1:55:01 PM)

What a thought....to bad buried lines dont work either. My neighborhood spent the whole spring and summer being torn up by having the power lines buried. And we have no power since the storm came Sunday evening. So as far as i am concerned you guys in midtown keep fighting cause you will be no better off should another ice storm come along.

I live right off the main area behind St. Francis and they and every business in that area has power the neighborhood with the buried power lines does not!

Larry, Tulsa (12/12/2007 2:20:24 PM)

Lucy, I think the cold has gone to your head, not to mention the rest of you. Lucy, they buried lines but they are not hot yet. They need to bury them all before that happens because they cannot take down the overheads yet due to the fact that we are on a grid system.

For the rest of you, the decision to bury lines has already been made, all utilities are having to because PSO told them it was happening. It is a 10 year project though, so be patient. The amazing part is that one of our Corporation Commissioners does not know this!! That is what we should be worried about the most...what they do in office.

Brent , Tulsa (12/12/2007 2:31:34 PM)

Sure, there are pros and cons to burying power lines, and burying them won't be cheap. But how can anyone argue that burying them will not be in the best interest of all of us in the long term. I am willing to pay more money for a better public infrastructure, while purchasing fewer consumer goods. In addition, I would implore the Corporation Commission to continue to search for better solutions to relieve lower income residents of the burden of paying higher utilitiy costs associated with burying the lines.

zippy, tulsa (12/12/2007 2:36:44 PM)

Two words: duh.