The primary reason utility companies and municipalities across the United States do not universally bury all power lines underground is the astronomical installation cost. Burying power lines involves extensive trenching, excavation through rock and existing infrastructure, specialized heavy conduits, and expensive subterranean transformers, with costs often running 5 to 10 times higher than erecting overhead poles. While underground lines are less vulnerable to severe wind and ice storms, retrofitting sprawling American suburban and rural infrastructure would require massive capital investments, resulting in steep utility rate hikes for consumers, making overhead lines the economically preferred default for most regions.
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