Re: Texas internet connectivity declining due to blackouts

[Peter Beckman <beckman () angryox com>]

On Tue, 16 Feb 2021, Rod Beck wrote:

> Are the power lines buried like in Europe where I live?
>
> I really think using poles is crazy and global warming guarantees enough
> atmospheric turbulence to make it untenable. Florida is moving to bury
> power lines.

    Only 41% of European lines are underground [1]. Population density is
    higher in the UK, 280 per sq km, versus the US, 34 per sq km [2].

    Netherlands: 423 per sq km
    Belgium: 376 per sq km
    Germany: 233 per sq km
    Switzerland: 208 per sq km
    Italy: 200 per sq km

    When population density is low, the cost to install buried lines does
    not make financial sense, even considering the outages.

    In major cities, lines are buried in the US.

    Granted, there are several US States that individually are similar to
    Europe:

    New Jersey: 467 per sq km
    Massachussetts: 331 per sq km
    New York: 161 per sq km (despite having NYC, largest city in the US)
    California: 95 per sq km (despite having LA, 2nd largest city in the US)
    Texas: 39 per sq km

    Buried lines makes sense where it makes sense. Comparing Europe to the
    US is way too broad, and I don't know where you live.


[1] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-05/why-europe-pays-less-than-u-s-to-put-power-lines-underground
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density

> ________________________________
> From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+rod.beck=unitedcablecompany.com () nanog org> on behalf of Mikael Abrahamsson via NANOG <nanog 
> () nanog org>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 16, 2021 9:06 AM
> To: Sean Donelan <sean () donelan com>
> Cc: nanog () nanog org <nanog () nanog org>
> Subject: RE: Texas internet connectivity declining due to blackouts
>
> On Mon, 15 Feb 2021, Sean Donelan wrote:
>
> > Strange the massive shortages and failures are only in one state.
> >
> > The extreme cold weather extends northwards across many states, which aren't
> > reporting rolling blackouts.
>
> https://www.texastribune.org/2011/02/08/texplainer-why-does-texas-have-its-own-power-grid/
>
> Going at it alone can be beneficial sometimes, sometimes it's not.
>
> --
> Mikael Abrahamsson    email: swmike () swm pp se

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Peter Beckman                                                  Internet Guy
beckman () angryox com                                 http://www.angryox.com/
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