Executive Summary
2.0 Introduction and Project Goals
Introduction
In 2004 and 2005, three hurricanes impacted the
South Florida area and caused widespread power and
communications systems disruptions. Within the Town of
Palm Beach (Town) there were reports of many property
owners who were out of power and communications service
for several weeks as utility crews repaired the damage.
These severe weather events prompted the Town to begin
investigating the feasibility of relocating the existing overhead
utility infrastructure (electric, telephone, and cable) to an
underground location.
Between 2004 and 2009, the Town
engaged multiple consultants to
develop conceptual opinions of
probable construction costs to
convert the overhead utilities to an
underground location. A financial
services consultant was also engaged to
prepare an assessment methodology for
undergrounding projects (Town of Palm
Beach Utility Undergrounding Assessment
Methodology by Willdan Financial
Services, October 2009). The assessment
methodology report identified several
distinct, direct, and special benefits
derived from an underground utility
system consisting of improved safety,
reliability, and aesthetics of these facilities
within the Town. A brief description of
each of these attributes follows below:
Safety: An underground utility system
is generally safer than an overhead
utility system because the electric and
communication cables and equipment
are less accessible to accidental contact
with the public. For example, during
windstorm events overhead facilities
may be blown down creating impacts
to property and exposing the public
Storm Damage to Overhead Utilities
TOWN-WIDE UNDERGROUNDING OF UTILITIES PROGRAM
MASTER PLAN DOCUMENT
to a potential risk of electric shock.
Additionally, routine maintenance
of landscaping may cause accidental
contact with overhead powerlines
causing a risk of electric shock.
Reliability: Based on a report
entitled Out of Sight, Out of Mind, An
Updated Study on the Undergrounding
of Overhead Power Lines by the
Edison Electric Institute (2012),
an underground utility system is
generally more reliable than an
overhead utility system because it
is less susceptible to impacts from
weather events, exposure to wildlife,
and contact with vegetation. The
design of underground utility systems
also creates reliability benefits. For
example, a typical neighborhood
street in Palm Beach is served by
an overhead radial line connected
to a feeder circuit that usually dead
Utility Restoration Efforts
INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT GOALS | 5