Underground Electrical Cable Vs Overhead Lines

Cost overhead s number one advantage.

Underground electrical cable vs overhead lines. 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. Aesthetics underground s number one advantage. 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. With underground feeders you have to watch out when you are digging.

Overhead lines are nothing but a conductor laid on the top of earth by installing transmission tower. Hvdc are three times higher compare to overhead lines e g. To minimize a large charging current produced in high voltage cables the length of the cable should be minimized. 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.

In overhead line inductor plays major roles and in underground cable the capacitor plays major role. Following are the disadvantages of underground transmission. 20 to 40 for new underground works. It is difficult to find and repair the wire breaks in case of failure of system.

Overhead lines interfere with communication lines that are in close proximity have corona discharge radio and tv interference which does not happen with the underground lines. Moreover laying or burying cost of underground lines are greater compare to overhead lines. 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. Cost of underground cables e g.

1 providing sufficient insulation so that cables can be within inches of grounded material. And 2 dissipating the heat produced during the operation of the electrical. 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. Safety less chance for public contact.

Much less visual clutter. Reliability shorter outage durations because of faster fault finding and faster. Safety factors of underground vs. The electric field of the cable lines is fully limited by the metallic screen.

Longer life 30 to 50 years vs.