January 26, 2022 GCNH letter to Governor Lamont with copies to DEEP, the General Assembly Energy & Technology and Environment Committees and PURA, attaching GCNH Memorandum in Support of a Statewide Strategy for Undergrounding of Electric and Communication Wires and Cables, entered in PURA for Docket No. 17-12-03RE08, PURA's investigation focused on electric distribution companies' planning for distribution resilience and reliability, their standards and programs.
Statements in Favor of Undergrounding
Prior Statements by GCNH
GCNH and URI letter urging DEEP to plan for maximum undergrounding of utility wires in its Comprehensive Energy Plan, December 13, 2012 The arguments made are given new urgency by the probable increased reliance on electricity to achieve a non carbon energy economy, as well as the increased reliance on internet communication. The more frequent and severe storms predicted to occur due to climate change will cause the overhead pole and wire distribution system to fail much more than in the past and cause significant and costly socioeconomic disruption.
Statements by Others
(These statements do not necessarily represent GCNH positions in every respect.
(These statements do not necessarily represent GCNH positions in every respect.
The Policy on Resilient Forests for Connecticut's Future (PRFCT Future) Final Report, (12.14.21, accepted by DEEP on 1.11.22), at p.11, supported "Incremental Undergrounding of Electric Infrastructure and Improved Coordination of Underground Utilities" stating: Although the Working Group acknowledges various challenges with coordinating this effort across various entities that run utilities underground, one benefit of doing this would be to remove conflicts with planting and maintaining tall stature trees as well as enhancing urban tree cover in areas where more sustainable development would be encouraged. Investments in incremental undergrounding might be credited against required compensatory mitigation due to unavoidable tree losses under certain conditions.
"Buying the Lines Why How -- Benefits and Excuses," by Elizabeth Hopely, December 2020 This statement summarizes numerous benefits of undergrounding electric and communication distribution wires, and addresses excuses given for not undergrounding.
"Undergrounding Utilities -- The Broad Context (Connecticut)," by Henry Dynia, February 13, 2021 This statement includes consideration of socio-economic and political factors concerning undergrounding.