Underground Electrical Cable Vs Overhead Lines

Digging around underground feeders is a disaster waiting to happen.

Underground electrical cable vs overhead lines.

Safety less chance for public contact. The design and construction of underground transmission lines differ from overhead lines because of two significant technical challenges that need to be overcome. And 2 dissipating the heat produced during the operation of the electrical. 1 providing sufficient insulation so that cables can be within inches of grounded material.

Overhead lines are nothing but a conductor laid on the top of earth by installing transmission tower. With underground feeders you have to watch out when you are digging. Significantly less cost especially initial cost. Longer life 30 to 50 years vs.

Aesthetics underground s number one advantage. According to the may 2011 paper underground electric transmission lines published by the public service commission of wisconsin the estimated cost for constructing underground transmission lines ranges from 4 to 14 times more expensive than overhead lines of the same voltage and same distance. The electric field of the cable lines is fully limited by the metallic screen. Overhead line is a source of electrical and magnetic field where underground cables have the magnetic fields screened so only electrical fields might be an issue in this case.

To minimize a large charging current produced in high voltage cables the length of the cable should be minimized. Cost of underground cables e g. Undergrounding is the replacement of overhead cables providing electrical power or telecommunications with underground cables it demonstrates the higher technology in developed countries for fire prevention and to make the power lines less susceptible to outages during high wind thunderstorms or heavy snow or ice storms. Moreover laying or burying cost of underground lines are greater compare to overhead lines.

With overhead lines you have to watch that tall trucks farm implements augers and other tall pieces of equipment don t get tangled in them. 20 to 40 for new underground works. It is difficult to find and repair the wire breaks in case of failure of system. Voltage drop there is more voltage drop in the overheads due to the fact that their cables are of much smaller diameter than underground cables for the same power delivery.

Hvdc are three times higher compare to overhead lines e g. Much less visual clutter. Following are the disadvantages of underground transmission. Cost overhead s number one advantage.

Reliability shorter outage durations because of faster fault finding and faster.