Pepco: Put Power Lines Underground Once and for All

by Bill Adler

In neighborhoods with overhead power lines, it seems like every time we have a snowstorm, ice storm, thunderstorm, wind storm, or heavy rainstorm, somebody loses power.

It's time to stop debating and start burying power lines. Sure, it's expensive and there's a downside: It can take longer to repair a damaged underground line than an above-ground line. But power failures are far fewer with underground lines. Every single time our power has gone out in our Cleveland Park home, the lights have continued to shine bright along Connecticut Avenue, where the power lines are, in fact, underground.

Power outages result in not only broken electronics and spoiled food, but lost productivity: When the electricity is out, nothing gets done.

It's not all that complicated an issue. Putting power lines underground isn't a radical idea, either: It's a common sense idea. While putting power lines underground won't eliminate all power outages, it will stop most of them. Other cities have underground power lines, as do many parts of  Washington, DC. All of DC should have underground power lines.


Are multiple prolonged power outages a year acceptable? Is that what the 21st century should be like: Guaranteed power failures whenever there's a storm?  I say it's not acceptable. It's shameful. Power lines should go underground where they are not at the mercy of falling trees and tree limbs.

One Thumb Up for Pepco

Pepco's been getting a lot of flak lately because of widespread and prolonged power outages. We'll leave the question of whether or not Pepco deserves this criticism, other than to note a Washington Post article from yesterday which reported, "A Washington Post investigation published last month found that Pepco's day-to-day reliability began declining five years ago and that Pepco ranks at or near the bottom in industry surveys of reliability. The average Pepco customer experienced 70 percent more outages than customers of other big-city utilities that took part in one 2009 survey."

We've called for burying power lines to make DC's electrical grid more reliable, but never mind. Here's what one American University Park resident reported about Pepco on the Communit-E email  list:

I ask you sheath the long knives for Pepco after you hear my story. A Pepco employee in a van was checking our street for tree limbs on wires and some such.  He knocked on my door to tell me the bracket holding my electrical wire had pulled away from the house and could come down.  He said, of course, it may take time to get a crew out.  Well I called anyway at about noon.  Hoped to get a crew by Tuesday.  At about 4 pm three contract guys show up.  They made a partial repair due to lack of a long enough ladder.  And promised to get Pepco out to finish the repair.  I will have to say I was floored and hope they get a gold star.  I suspect from their accents they came from West VA.  God love 'em.

Good Morning: How to Keep the Lights On When the Power Goes Out

The melting continues. After dipping down into the 20's, today's high  may reach 40 degrees. Some sun, some clouds and possibly some flurries are in store for Saturday. A peek ahead: A major winter storm may be brewing and hit us around Groundhog Day, which is February 2.

Today's deal is one that hundreds of thousands of Washington area residents probably wish they had had last Wednesday: 26% off of the best power failure light. Spend $36.99 and get two of these remarkably bright and long lasting lights that turn on when the power goes out. The Durofix Emergency Light uses low-power but bright LED lights for up to 8 hours of continuous use. The light plugs into any available power outlet.  Click here for this great deal.  (And with another winter storm possible, you might need this.)