Passing Up A Golden Opportunity

1. The U.S. electrical grid consists mostly of wires strung between wooden poles. That may have been innovative in 1850, but is out of date today.

2. After Hurricane Sandy, much of New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut lost electrical service for two weeks.

3. Similar blackouts happen regularly whenever there is a fierce thunderstorm that knocks down trees and power lines.

4. This is even the case in Washington, DC, itself (and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs), the richest metro region of the United States.

5. Most power lines are still above ground — usually aesthetically hidden in trees.

6. The entire U.S. electric grid needs to be hardened, upgraded against cyber attack and buried underground.

From Golden opportunity to update infrastructure on the cheap will soon be gone by Barry Ritholtz (Washington Post)