Why is there such a difference between the potential cost figures for overhead vs. underground lines?
Typical costs for overhead 115 kV lines are $400,000-$600,000 per mile. Typical costs for underground 115 kV lines are $5-10 million per mile. The figures for both types of construction are based on actual past construction projects that were managed by LES or our consulting engineering partner. An overhead line requires minimal disruption to the ground and minimal material compared to an underground line. An underground line requires disruption of every foot of ground along the portion of the project which is underground, and the materials and infrastructure associated with the underground line are much more significant and costly.
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