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Planning Matters continued

matter of course. Converting overhead lines to
underground lines in existing neighborhoods and
commercial areas is another matter altogether. In the Sun
Sentinel article, and FPL spokesman says that about 40% of
FPL lines are underground but goes on to say:

“Underground lines perform better in wind events, but can
result in longer outages when they are exposed to
flooding,” Garner said. He added that most underground
lines connect with above-ground systems at some point,
and can still be affected by a storm.

After Irma, many Fort Lauderdale residents, including in our
neighborhood, were without power (and/or cable) for
days and some cases over a week. According to Assistant
Transmission lines are what moves the power from a plant to the City Manager Hal Barnes, P.E., well before this, in
to a substation. So when transmission is affected,
response to requests from several neighborhoods, the City
underground distribution lines aren’t receiving power. “I Commission approved on May 18, 2010 an ordinance
love underground power lines — they do present a more
which establishes a process for communities to follow in
stable power system. But they’re only as good as what order to underground their overhead utilities (power,
comes next to it,” Elsner said.
telephone, cableTV, etc.) and created a mechanism for the
Even within many neighborhoods, there can be a mix of benefited neighborhood to pay the cost of undergrounding
underground and overhead equipment. When there’s a through special assessment. This is a voluntary program
storm, one resident may be without power while a available to Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods and will not be
neighbor never loses it. used unless the neighborhood officially requests the City to
Housing analyst Jack McCabe points to his Deer Creek proceed and the neighborhood can demonstrate by means
Golf Club neighborhood, which has underground lines in of a ballot that they have approval / support from the
the newer part including his home. “I never lost power. But property owners within a proposed undergrounding area.
the section that’s older, they were out for about eight days - To date, six neighborhoods - Idlewyld, Riviera Isles, Las
- that’s fairly representative,” McCabe said. Olas Isles, Seven Isles, Harbor Beach and Sunrise Key -
Currently, 40 percent of Florida Power & Light Co.’s have submitted the necessary applications to have their
utility lines buried:
distribution system is underground, according to FPL
spokesman Bryan Garner. And there are several • Idlewyld/Riviera Isles (267 homes - currently under design)
underground installation projects under way, including one • Las Olas Isles (312 homes – currently under design)
on the island of Palm Beach. • Seven Isles (305 homes - currently under design)
But the burying of lines is expensive. And below-ground • Harbor Beach (318 homes - Design is anticipated to
begin in late 2018)
networks offer no guarantees of outage-free storms.
• Sunrise Key (76 homes)
It costs an average of $1 million a mile to move main
power lines to subterranean levels, according to FPL. Here’s how the process works:
Generally, “underground lines perform better in wind 1. The neighborhood submits an application for a defined
events, but can result in longer outages when they are “assessment area” in which lines would be buried. This can
exposed to flooding,” Garner said. He added that most be all or part of the neighborhood. They need enough
underground lines connect with above-ground systems at homes to make it cost effective; they don’t want to hop
some point, and can still be affected by a storm. around. By example, in Coral Ridge Country Club Estates,
In new developments and redevelopments of any it’s conceivable that the areas south and west of the
significant size, utility lines are placed underground as a Country Club could be excluded while the area north of

16 The Landings & Bay Colony