We have underground lines in The Woodlands and I have been here for 25 years and I have to think it is the way to go.

I worry about tree limbs / trees just falling onto my property than I do losing electricity due to down lines.

BMX Bandit said:

---

So how should they "protect the grid" from trees blown over in high winds?

---

What does a buried line care about "trees blown over?" And by trees blown over, I assume you mean branches, not the actual trees which shouldn't have been uprooted. The wind wasn't that strong.

But to your direct question, CenterPoint claims they "protect the grid" by paying to have trees cut back from the lines. They did my area earlier this year. So either this work is insufficient, or they aren't doing it enough to be effective.

Like I said above, in any decent storm, we can plan for upwards of 100k to lose power. If that's what we should expect as the norm, CenterPoint should just admit that this is what they plan for and let the citizens decide if that's acceptable.

cena05 said:

---

He said bury the lines. Lines are buried in my neighborhood and we keep power more than previous house.

---

If that's the case, then I guarantee this storm is NOT the event that will "finally lead to some real change at CenterPoint".

Dr. Doctor said:

---

I have the same beef as you.

Living in kingwood I see poles that are at 20+ degree angles with trees growing in the lines. So when the wind blows, you lose power.

With all this money spent on services, why can't they cut trees every 2-3 years? Instead, I get to wait for a repair crew to trim everything around one fault every other week (and when I first moved in in 2017, it was 8+ hours a month) until they did everything.

Start moving lines underground more.

~egon

---

They "should" be doing that service 2-3 years. That's what the flyer I get on my door every couple of years says.

htxag09 said:

---

Pretty amazing to me that we're having this conversation because 20k out of 2.5mm people don't have power……

---

Yep. Lost power between 12:30 and 1am. Crews on it in less than 10 minutes. Power back on at 1:20 to me and 1500 other houses.

Nothing like *******s whining like children from their warm homes.

Apparently they've spent a large amount of money on hardening the grid. Upgraded to high lines to connect substations for redundancy. Mainlines branches were upgraded to knew fiberglass poles that are taller, survive 200mph winds, and less susceptible to tree limbs. Tested on Guam for years. Lineman hate climbing them, but they're reducing work orders.



They spent a 2 months in our hood and connecting the 2 closest substations.

Ag_07 said:

---

I love how it's like 'Yeah they need to bury the lines' like it's no big deal to go burying lines all over the place in the nation's 3rd largest city.

I'm sure they'll get right on that.

---

Pretty sure I read a cost study they did some years back. Probably right after Ike. If I remember correctly the cost was multiples of putting all new poles and lines to the entire city.

And those types of projects always come in on budget.

toilet in my master bath wont fill, line must've frozen. It's the only exterior wall pipe that I couldn't drip or open a cabinet to keep warm.

Would it be worth running a little space heater pointed at the wall right there to try to warm it up? Or is it too late now

cena05 said:

---

I feel like my attic temps are lower this time around. I had insulation blown in though. I'm guessing it would work opposite and keep the heat in my house and out of the attic opposed to the summer heat. Shot some temps in the 20's but pipes seem to ok thus far. I also have a recirculating pump for instant hot water that might help I guess.

---

I got spray foam over the summer, it's a cozy 66 in my attic right now.

Power went out at around 12:30 or so, but was back on in about an hour.

maroon barchetta said:

---

Agz_2003 said:

---

I can't imagine what it would cost to bury the high voltage electrical transmission lines.

---

$1,000,000 per mile with nothing in the way. In an established city? Yikes. What's the cost escalator on that?

---

Yeah. I'd imagine this front was more an example of why we shouldn't bury the lines. Can plan for and dispatch repair crews for 20k without power. Who the hell would want to pay for that based on this front?

Underground is just a far better way to go. CNP doesn't do it cause it costs a couple hundred bucks to slam a pole up and hang some can transformers.

Old and tired conversation at this point but it's not impractical to bury electrical distribution lines if the road is already being tore up and other utilities replaced.

Burying high power transmission lines is impractical but there's orders of magnitude less of those.

Saying this as one who is in land development and construction and deals with Centerpoint multiple times weekly…

JobSecurity said:

---

toilet in my master bath wont fill, line must've frozen. It's the only exterior wall pipe that I couldn't drip or open a cabinet to keep warm.

Would it be worth running a little space heater pointed at the wall right there to try to warm it up? Or is it too late now

---

That's what I've done. Can't hurt. Maybe keeps it from freezing further and bursting. Hopefully warms it up enough to melt quicker.

Agz_2003 said:

---

I can't imagine what it would cost to bury the high voltage electrical transmission lines.

---

Need to juice that number by a lot. Recently paid $2M to move 3000' of overhead lines. No telling what it would be underground.

Fitch said:

---

Underground is just a far better way to go. CNP doesn't do it cause it costs a couple hundred bucks to slam a pole up and hang some can transformers.

Old and tired conversation at this point but it's not impractical to bury electrical distribution lines if the road is already being tore up and other utilities replaced.

Burying high power transmission lines is impractical but there's orders of magnitude less of those.

Saying this as one who is in land development and construction and deals with Centerpoint multiple times weekly…

---

Interesting because the contractors say the opposite. Just as likely to get cut by some jerk digging or have a fault because of the high moisture in our clay. Not to mention we're a city of fault lines. A residential line can be repaired in 20 minutes without damage to property. Underground can take weeks and F up your yard, road, or world. And that's before rates would go up multiples.

https://www.power-grid.com/td/underground-vs-overhead-power-line-installation-cost-comparison/#gref

May 2011 paper "Underground Electric Transmission Lines" published by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, "The estimated cost for constructing underground transmission lines ranges from 4 to 14 times more expensive than overhead lines of the same voltage and same distance. A typical new 69 kV overhead single-circuit transmission line costs approximately $285,000 per mile as opposed to $1.5 million per mile for a new 69 kV underground line (without the terminals). A new 138 kV overhead line costs approximately $390,000 per mile as opposed to $2 million per mile for underground (without the terminals)."

And then it's more difficult and costly to maintain underground utilities.

We should totally do that.

JobSecurity said:

---

toilet in my master bath wont fill, line must've frozen. It's the only exterior wall pipe that I couldn't drip or open a cabinet to keep warm.

Would it be worth running a little space heater pointed at the wall right there to try to warm it up? Or is it too late now

---

No water or just less water in the bowl?

TX04Aggie said:

---

Saw where a metrobus hit a transformer on washington avenue last night knocking out power to all the apartments and HEB. Classic…. Dang it ERCOT!! /sarc

---

Well F. This is one of our properties. Only a few hundred apartments over that HEB and behind it…

Currently 17 degrees here in San Angelo

CAR96 said:

---

So what is the thought of shutting the water off at the intake pipe and draining pipes/faucets before leaving town for Christmas?

Does the the two water spigots outside need to be drained too?

What if temps outside are still below 32 degrees when attempting to do so?

---

Seconding this question.

hijakeroo123 said:

---

CAR96 said:

---

So what is the thought of shutting the water off at the intake pipe and draining pipes/faucets before leaving town for Christmas?

Does the the two water spigots outside need to be drained too?

What if temps outside are still below 32 degrees when attempting to do so?

---

Seconding this question.

---

My opinion is if you're shutting off water. You need to drain every faucet / hose bib. Empty lines freeze almost immediately and anything with water not drained has a high chance of damage.

If your hot water heater is in the attic you may be creating a bigger problem than you are solving.

Somewhat depends on when you are leaving. On Christmas day, I wouldn't worry about. The 24th, is maybe to feel safe, but maybe fine.

Are your line frozen now? Once you shut off at the meter (or intake to the house), then open up as much as you can to drain. It's been said, but you aren't actually getting everything out of your lines. Gravity won't allow that. You are depressurizing so that if you get a freeze, the ice has somewhere to expand and not break the pipe.

Well thanks for some input, but I am more perplexed as to what to do now.

I have running water now. I have dripped pipes inside the house ( 2 vanity faucets and kitchen sink faucet).

I have kept the only interior attic door open so the interior home heat can make it's way into the attic.

I have wrapped the only two outdoor hose bib connections really well.

But I will have to leave town for Saturday night and probably Sunday night...and while I am away I will be a nervous wreck wondering if something is going to be bursting?

Ag_07 said:

---

You guys shutting off water and draining pipes have no power or what?

If you've got power and I assume you're running your heater what's the point? It shouldn't be below freezing in your house or attic so what gives?

---

I cut off the main and had a relaxing, drama free night as a result. I expected a good chance of losing electricity with the trees and winds but it was good. Plenty of stored water in the house too.

CAR96 said:

---

Well thanks for some input, but I am more perplexed as to what to do now.

I have running water now. I have dripped pipes inside the house ( 2 vanity faucets and kitchen sink faucet).

I have kept the only interior attic door open so the interior home heat can make it's way into the attic.

I have wrapped the only two outdoor hose bib connections really well.

But I will have to leave town for Saturday night and probably Sunday night...and while I am away I will be a nervous wreck wondering if something is going to be bursting?

---

Can you get a neighbor to drip some faucets for you at night? If not I'd just continue to drip faucets. Your water bill won't go up that much

I agree about the water bill, not worried about that cost.

So all the water lines are good here but strangely my washing machine is turning off mid cycle according to my wife. Will they shut off if the water is too cold?