Underground Infrastructure

Pasadena, Calif., upgrades 30 underground electrical vaults to boost grid reliability

Pasadena Water and Power is upgrading 30 underground electrical vaults across 4.5 miles of city streets to strengthen grid reliability and support its goal of achieving 100% carbon-free energy by 2030.

SAWS’ Andrea Beymer to deliver UIC sewer/water keynote address

Andrea Huizar Beymer, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), will headline the upcoming Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) with a keynote address that highlights transformative innovation in the water and wastewater industry.  ..

Inside Infrastructure: Water infrastructure financing and a federal commitment

It seems whenever the federal government looks to cut spending on American infrastructure, programs that fund water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure are put on the chopping block earlier, rather than later.

ULMA’s MK tunnel carriage supports chamber works for Peru hydropower project

ULMA Construction’s MK tunnel carriage system enabled fast, precise concrete placement for the Air Cushion Surge Chamber at Peru’s San Gabán III Hydroelectric Project, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and safety in one of the project’s most demanding underground construction phases.

SAWS’ Andrea Beymer to deliver UIC sewer/water keynote address

Andrea Huizar Beymer, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), will headline the upcoming Underground Infrastructure Conference (UIC) with a keynote address that highlights transformative innovation in the water and wastewater industry.

Utah city launches historic $70 million tunnel project using box jacking under active rail line

The City of Bluffdale, Utah, has begun work on a $70 million infrastructure project to replace the aging 14600 South underpass with a new four-lane tunnel built beneath active train tracks. Using an advanced Italian “box jacking” technique—never before applied in the U.S.—crews will construct the new tunnel without disrupting rail service.

Washington adopts data-driven tools to plan underground power corridors

Washington’s Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council is using WSP’s new Spatial Decision Support mapping platform to modernize siting and permitting for high-voltage transmission lines, including underground infrastructure.

Construction advances on Toronto's $27 billion Ontario Line subway project

Toronto’s $27 billion Ontario Line subway project is advancing rapidly, with several underground station sites now beginning to take recognizable form. The 15.6-km line will add 15 new stations in what is one of the city’s most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in decades.

New York approves buried power line for Micron’s $100 billion semiconductor facility

New York has approved a two-mile underground transmission line to connect National Grid’s Clay substation with Micron’s $100 billion semiconductor megafab in Onondaga County — a key step toward powering the largest private investment in state history.

Corpus Christi begins boring work for underground fiber installation on Yorktown Boulevard

Charter-Spectrum contractors kicked off underground fiber installation along Yorktown Boulevard in Corpus Christi on Oct. 15, with lane closures expected near Brentridge Drive through the end of the month.

Centuri names Ryan Palazzo president of U.S. gas division

Centuri Holdings, Inc. has appointed Ryan Palazzo as President of U.S. Gas, where he will oversee the company’s gas infrastructure operations. The U.S. Gas segment represents roughly half of Centuri’s total revenue and plays a key role in supporting the nation’s expanding energy infrastructure.

Iowa city moves forward with $13 million underground fiber project

Decorah, Iowa, is investing $13 million in a citywide fiber network that will deliver gigabit internet to every home and business by 2027. The locally financed project, operated by AcenTek, marks a major step in expanding rural broadband access.

Dublin, Ohio moves South High Street utilities underground in major upgrade

Dublin, Ohio is relocating overhead power and telecom lines underground along South High Street as part of a multi-year utility burial project. Phase 2 is underway and expected to finish in spring 2026.

UIC 2026 is where infrastructure meets, learns

Unmatched Opportunity, Unstoppable Momentum.

Boulder, Colo., moves utilities underground at Chautauqua to cut wildfire risk

Boulder is undergrounding utilities at Chautauqua, relocating power lines and fiber while upgrading water systems to cut wildfire risk and improve reliability.

Idaho faces $1 billion water infrastructure challenge as federal cuts loom

A University of Idaho study finds the state’s water and wastewater systems need more than $1 billion in upgrades, with over half of treatment plants violating the Clean Water Act in 2023. Small towns like McCammon face steep costs to replace aging infrastructure, while looming federal cuts to EPA revolving funds threaten to worsen the crisis.

Kenya builds $120 million transmission line to carry geothermal power across western region

Kenya is investing $120 million in an 81-km (50-mile) transmission line to move geothermal power from Olkaria to western regions, strengthening the grid and cutting reliance on costly gas turbines.

Dublin, Ohio, advances South High Street utility burial project

Dublin, Ohio, is moving ahead with Phase 2 of its South High Street utility burial project, shifting overhead power and telecom lines underground. Work is scheduled to finish in spring 2026.

AECOM launches Singapore AI center for underground infrastructure planning

Global infrastructure firm AECOM has launched its AI Innovation Centre in Singapore, backed by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB). The initiative aims to support Singapore’s vision for sustainable urban development by optimizing underground spaces.

339-mile Quebec-to-NYC hydropower line enters last stage of construction

The Champlain Hudson Power Express, a 339-mile underground and underwater power line designed to deliver Canadian hydropower to New York City, has entered its final installation phase.

Promoting research, development and training in underground infrastructure construction, renewal technologies

The Center for Underground Infrastructure Research and Education (CUIRE) at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) has been actively involved in advancing technologies such as trenchless rehabilitation methods, underground infrastructure renewal and supporting government and industry in innovation within this field.

UK's Halma expands into trenchless drilling with Brownline acquisition

Halma plc, a UK-based HSE company with global reach, has acquired Brownline, a Netherlands-based provider of smart, trenchless underground drilling technology. The $175 million deal represents a strategic expansion into infrastructure resilience and energy transition technologies for Halma’s Environmental & Analysis sector.

Hartford, Conn., begins $316 million underground transmission upgrade

Eversource is rolling out a $316 million underground transmission line modernization in Hartford, replacing 7 miles of aged oil-filled cable with safer, longer-lasting XLPE technology.

MTA awards $1.97 billion tunnel-boring contract for subway expansion

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has awarded a $1.97 billion tunnel-boring contract for Phase 2 of the Second Avenue Subway project. Connect Plus Partners, a joint venture between Halmar International and FCC Construction, will conduct tunnel boring between 35 and 120 feet below Second Avenue using 750-ton machines equipped with 22-foot drill heads.

Celebrate excellence: Underground Infrastructure Awards now open for submissions

Celebrate innovation in underground infrastructure. Submit your project for the 2025 UI Awards, honoring excellence in HDD, fiber, water, sewer, gas, power, asset management, and emerging technologies.

Florida city set to finish first phase of $18 million underground power line project

Gulf Breeze, Fla., is nearing completion of phase one in its $18 million project to move utility lines underground, a major step toward boosting storm resilience and reducing prolonged outages.

Colorado approves $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan with undergrounding, grid hardening

Colorado regulators approved Xcel Energy’s $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan, which includes undergrounding power lines, replacing aging infrastructure, and expanding fire risk monitoring to protect communities.

NYC subway flooding ignites concerns over stormwater infrastructure

Officials in New York are re-examining the city's infrastructure and stormwater systems following flash flooding last week that inundated parts of the city's underground subway system.

Exodigo raises $96 million to expand AI underground mapping for U.S., global projects

Underground mapping innovator Exodigo has secured $96 million in funding, doubling its valuation based on global demand from utility, transportation and infrastructure leaders. Exodigo's technology focuses on mapping buried pipes, wires and utility assets, to make designing and constructing new buildings, highways, subways, and other massive infrastructure projects safer and avoid unnecessary excavation.

Celebrate excellence: Underground Infrastructure awards now open for submissions

Celebrate innovation in underground infrastructure. Submit your project for the 2025 UI Awards, honoring excellence in HDD, fiber, water, sewer, gas, power, asset management, and emerging technologies.