Almost everyone who lost power in the October snowstorm probably spent some time wondering why, in the 21st century, we still rely on vulnerable wires strung on wooden poles to deliver our electricity.
The state is asking the same question and wants CL&P to examine the cost of putting power lines underground. Some say it would be prohibitive — perhaps up to $1 million per mile — while others say underground lines have their own problems. They can be damaged by flooding and they're harder to find and fix when the power goes out.
So what do you think? Should CL&P invest in a very costly project so that our lives don't come to a screeching halt when tree limbs fall? Or should the utility just do a better job of trimming trees and responding when we do lose power?
