Panel Session: Starting a Major Undergrounding Program

PG&E has announced a $15-$30B, multi-year undergrounding program of 10% of its T&D system with their CEO stating “It’s too expensive not to do it”. Other utilities are following the lead with strategic undergrounding pilots and programs.

Planners and engineers are learning that the 21st-century capital cost of underground distribution is coming down with new materials, design tools, and advanced construction means and methods. Next, they are quantifying the value of “total time of line restoration" (TLR), reliability and resilience as they evaluate the O&M and “life-cycle” costs of overhead vs underground distribution. With a better understanding of the "total cost of ownership" more and more utilities can strategically select circuits for undergrounding.

Explore the plans, challenges and early "lessons learned" by Dominion Energy, WE Energies and Southern California Edison as we discuss current trends in undergrounding and the demands of developing and implementing major underground programs.

Speakers include:

• Mike Beehler, Mike Beehler & Associates LLC
• Paul Gogan, director, WEC Energy Group
• Karen Kinslow, Dominion Energy
• Rajdeep Roy, Southern California Edison

• Room: Rm 295
• Session Number: PN48

Thursday, April 28, 2022: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM