[garyft]

Why are electrical power lines still above ground, where they are vulnerable to storms and terrorists? Quite simply it's because nobody wants to foot the bill to put them underground. The average citizen doesn't want their utility bill to go up, and it would if electric utility companies spent the extra money to replace all existing overhead lines with underground lines.

[Cboldt]

Quite simply it's because nobody wants to foot the bill to put them underground. The average citizen doesn't want their utility bill to go up, and it would if electric utility companies spent the extra money to replace all existing overhead lines with underground lines.

It's not just replacement. Repair, e.g., finding opens, is easier with the physical plant in plain view. Underground power transmission does not eliminate the risk of accidental electrocution either. Balancing all of those things, some locales have buried power, and others have it on poles. It's the nature of centralized power generation.