Dominion Energy Strategic Underground

Dominion Energy Virginia Finishes Burying 2,000 Miles of Power Lines

Just ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, Dominion Energy Virginia has finished burying 2,000 miles of previously-overhead power lines as part of its Strategic Underground Program.

Launched in 2014 to reduce storm-related power outages and shorten restoration times, the undergrounding program focuses on burying power lines in the most outage-prone areas. The company plans to bury several thousand additional miles of overhead lines as the program continues in the coming years.

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“We launched this program a decade ago after finding that a significant number of storm-related power outages were occurring in a relatively small number of areas,” said Ed Baine, president of Dominion Energy Virginia. “By burying the lines in these outage-prone areas, we’re not only reducing the number of outages, but we’re also shortening how long it takes to get the power back on.”

The Strategic Underground Program is one of several programs that the company has launched in recent years to reduce power outages and make the grid more resilient. The company’s Mainfeeder Hardening program, for example, is replacing older poles with taller, stronger ones that are rooted deeper in the ground and spaced closer together. The new poles are engineered and built with fiberglass cross-arms, which help prevent fallen trees or limbs from bringing down the entire pole.

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Since 2019, the company has hardened over 265 miles of power lines, with the ultimate goal of hardening 1,000 miles by 2030.

The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and runs through November 30. This season is expected to be active.

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SOURCE – Dominion Energy

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