Undergrounding
Baltimore Key Bridge rebuild hits $5.2 billion as pier protection drives costs
The cost to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has doubled to as much as $5.2 billion, driven by expanded pier protection, deeper foundations, and updated safety standards.
Box culvert, piling and bridge substructure work advance across north Mississippi
Box culvert installation, driven piling and bridge foundation work are moving forward on multiple MDOT projects across north Mississippi, supporting long-term structural and drainage improvements.
California city completes major Foothills utility undergrounding project
Palo Alto Utilities is completing a $11 million project to underground electric and fiber lines in the Foothills, cutting wildfire risk, improving reliability, and reducing the need for power shutoffs in high fire threat areas.
Dominion proposes 186-mile underground HVDC power line across Virginia
Virginia officials have backed Dominion Energy’s proposal for a 186-mile underground HVDC transmission line designed to boost electric capacity into Loudoun County as regional demand continues to surge.
Underground gas line strike triggers Bay Area explosion, injures six amid utility work
A construction crew struck an underground gas line in Ashland, California, triggering a massive explosion that destroyed homes and injured six people. PG&E confirmed the leak occurred before workers isolated the damaged line.
LA County pushes to bury overhead power lines after wildfires, but telecom holdouts stall progress
Los Angeles County officials are pushing to move power lines underground after recent wildfires, but progress has stalled as telecom providers refuse to remove their overhead cables, forcing the county to consider legal action.
Isla Mujeres begins underground power conversion along Rueda Medina Avenue
Crews in Isla Mujeres have begun replacing overhead power lines with an underground system along Rueda Medina Avenue, part of a modernization effort to improve storm resilience and restore the island’s iconic streetscape.
Public support for undergrounding surges as regulators debate long-term plans
A new statewide poll shows nearly 90% of Californians support undergrounding power lines to reduce wildfire risk—just as the CPUC prepares to vote on guidelines that could shape future projects. Utilities warn proposed rules may limit long-term undergrounding efforts even as public demand continues to climb.
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.
PG&E completes 1,000 miles of undergrounding in wildfire-prone Calif. regions
PG&E has completed 1,000 miles of underground powerlines in high fire–risk areas of California, part of a broader system-hardening effort to cut wildfire risk. The utility aims to reach 1,600 miles of underground lines by 2026 while lowering costs through more efficient construction methods.
Idaho approves burial of Snake River gas pipeline to replace aging span
The Bureau of Land Management has approved plans to relocate and bury a natural gas pipeline under Idaho’s Snake River, replacing an aging aboveground span near American Falls.
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.
Transmission shortfalls leave India’s renewables underutilized, IEEFA warns
India’s renewable energy boom is stalling as transmission projects fall behind. An IEEFA and JMK Research report warns more than 50 GW remain stranded due to grid delays, underutilized corridors, and slow expansion.
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.
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.
Sumitomo begins $546 million, 186-mile underground cable in Germany
Sumitomo Electric has started installing a $546 million, 186-mile HVDC underground cable for Germany’s Corridor A-Nord project, boosting renewable integration and grid reliability.
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.
Pasadena, Calif. approves $44 million for undergrounding overhaul
Pasadena city council has approved a $43.95 million contract with Anixter, Inc., allowing Pasadena Water and Power to advance a critical infrastructure project to replace more than 200,000 ft of underground transmission cables, Pasadena Now reported.
Astound to build $34 million fiber-optic network in Orland Park, Ill.
Astound Broadband has begun a $34 million project to extend 285 miles of underground fiber-optic cable across Orland Park and nearby suburbs, the company said June 24.
SCE to bury 63 miles of new power lines in fire-damaged Altadena, Calif.
Southern California Edison will install 63 miles of underground electrical lines in Altadena, starting in 2025. The project targets fire-damaged areas and supports future clean energy needs.
Underground power line pilot cuts storm outages to zero in Michigan counties
Consumers Energy reports early success from its 9-mile underground power line pilot, with data showing zero storm-related outages in pilot areas so far in 2025—outperforming surrounding overhead systems.
Assessment finds undergrounding work in Conn. would cost $500 million more than overhead solution
United Illuminating has completed a third-party cost estimate, finding that undergrounding a key section of electric transmission lines between Bridgeport and Fairfield would cost approximately $838 million, as opposed to the $306 million estimate for an overhead solution. The added cost would fall solely on Connecticut ratepayers.
Heath to divest 811 locate services to USIC, sharpen focus on emissions tech
Heath Consultants is selling its 811 locate services to USIC to focus on methane emissions detection technologies. The deal, expected to close by Q3 2025, supports Heath’s strategic pivot toward advanced leak detection and regulatory compliance tools.
Dallas flood relief tunnel 80% complete, final lining work underway underground
Major excavation began in 2019 and wrapped up in 2022, but work continues to install a 15-inch-thick concrete liner along the tunnel walls to create a smooth, finished surface for water flow.
Undergrounding pilot program in Michigan proves effective against severe weather
Underground lines currently make up about 15% of all Consumers Energy electric lines, most being in subdivisions and areas with high population density. Burying lines improves reliability by 90% or more. In the next 5 years, the company aims to bury over 1,000 miles of line, subject to regulatory approval.
Staten Island completes $84 million storm sewer upgrade in Sandy-hit New Dorp Beach
NYC completes $84 million underground storm sewer project in Staten Island’s New Dorp Beach, adding over 1.6 miles of drainage upgrades in Superstorm Sandy-affected area.
SCE wildfire plan calls for 260 miles of new underground lines across Southern California
Southern California Edison’s $6.2 billion wildfire mitigation plan includes 260 miles of underground power lines to reduce ignition risk, alongside expanded covered conductor use and AI-driven grid monitoring.
Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish
Pasadena, Calif., may need 500 more years to complete its underground utility project, citing cost, complexity, and coordination delays.
Body retrieved day after fatal trench collapse at Bakersfield, Calif., job site
A construction worker died after falling into a 20-foot trench at a site in west Bakersfield, Calif. Rescue teams recovered the body overnight, and an investigation is ongoing.
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Alaska LNG pipeline could require 7,000 workers at peak construction, developers say
- Ohio trench collapse kills one worker, injures two during pipe installation
- Elon Musk's Boring Co. fined for dumping drilling waste into Vegas sewer system
- $1.4 billion Midwest pipeline expansion to move more Canadian oil to U.S. Gulf
- Glenfarne Alaska LNG targets late-2026 construction start for 807-mile pipeline project
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized
- Massive water line failure leaves majority of Waterbury without service
- Infrastructure failure releases 100,000 gallons of wastewater in Houston; repairs ongoing
- Pennsylvania American Water launches interactive map to identify, replace lead water service lines