100,000+ each to move too
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Should we crowd fund moving 1?
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These things eventually have to be replaced at some point, no? Let me get into my armchair for a second but is it crazy to think that building new lines in a better spot, switching over to them, then removing the old lines would be cheaper than moving the existing.
For me, I have no problems with them anywhere. I’m happy to walk/bike under them.
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Problem is, before you move it somewhere else then you need a new easement clear of all structures and even clear of vegetation more than a few feet high. In addition to the cost, you also have to think of the environmental impacts (demolitions, tree clearing, etc).
The easement for the power line on the Dix Park side is 100’ wide, which seems standard for 230kv. So you’d have to find or make a new route for the line with 50’ clearance on either side. Not easy.
Power companies can exercise eminent domain to do this, but they do have to demonstrate to some extent that it’s necessary and beneficial, and they have to compensate property owners.
Poles last a long time. While wood poles eventually need replacement after something like 30-50 years, steel poles like these can have an effectively infinite lifespan if they are maintained. 100+ years is certainly well within reason.
Even if it does eventually need to be rebuilt for some reason, whether due to age-related deterioration, or something else like adding capacity or retiring a substation, it is much, much less troublesome and expensive to just rebuild in place.
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IMO as an arm-chair engineer, all “high-powered” lines like this should go underground when in an urban area… 
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Millions upon millions upon millions…per mile…to do this.
I’m told the ONLY place high voltage power lines have been buried in the state is over on the coast to traverse a waterway.
If anyone has more info on this, please chime in!
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Seems like Elon Musk has too much money. Maybe he can fund this for us.
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Right, the technology to make power infrastructure less obtrusive, like underground transmission lines or gas insulated substations does exist, and it may be relatively commonplace elsewhere (especially overseas), but it’s basically never done in North Carolina. Duke Energy probably doesn’t have the capability or expertise to do it, so they’d have to rely on expensive out-of-state contractors, and what’s in it for them anyway other than greater difficulty and higher costs for maintaining their infrastructure?
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It would make the area look prettier for me. That should be their top, and frankly only, concern.
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Also, I found this explainer from a New Hampshire utility company from a very quick Google search.
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at my house in ROA, VA. a street paver too wide for the road took a nice chunk out of the original pole. they have to keep all sort of tension balance in the wires with the connecting poles. its a delicate procedure.
if that monopoly dook energy would stop their BS commercials “paid for by dook energy shareholders…” they could start burying these poles. where exactly does the dook energy shareholders money come from to run stupid commercials as if we as consumers actually have a choice of energy providers!!!
what they want to do is to charge us for this. I GUARANTEE the dook will try to say that ratepayers have to pay to ‘protect the utility grid substations’ now…which begs the question of what exactly our monthly bills actually do cover? a high rise in charlotte usa? monopoly shareholders?
The monopoly utility model has to end…
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Seems like things are going swimmingly in deregulated Texas.
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Texas could solve most of their constant blackout problems if they’d connect to the national grids like every other state does. But “hurr durr federal government oversight”
I was born in Texas, I love their independent streak, but sometimes it leads to objectively bad decisions.
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There not connected to the national grid but Tucker Carlson did a report how it was a lie, and that everything was fine.
We’ll see how they handle this storm.
“Gipson Play Plaza” park looks like it’s humming along well. It’s a lot of dirt at the moment but that’s a good sign since it’s mostly a lot of landscaping. At least this park of Dix Park is making good progress.
I wonder when the Parks Bond funding will reach Dix Park. 2 or more years from now?
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The Dix Park Edge Study got sent to Growth & Natural Resources Committee with the reason being that the new council members can review the materials for longer. Will it come out of committee, the world may never know.
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Well, I can see they’re getting a nice headstart on a “Council of Slow” nickname. Good thing growth is going to stop and wait up for them, and this won’t impact the affordability of the city at all!
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Looks like there’ll be a meet and greet with some of the folks behind Dix Park implementation coming up in February. They have a snapshot of the current projects going on with the park as of January 2023.
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