Aesthetic Design of Electric Distribution Lines

Aesthetic considerations are causing revolutionary changes in the art of electric distribution in urban and suburban areas. Overhead line designs are being modified to improve appearance but aesthetic criteria often cannot be satisfied by such methods. Lower cost underground distribution techniques have been developed for residential areas, and use of underground is expanding rapidly. There is a wide variation in underground techniques and costs, and technical progress is continuing. Utilities are seeking an alternative to the pad-mounted transformer which is too bulky to be an ideal aesthetic solution. Partial underground systems, with primary circuits, street lights, and transformers supported on metal poles and all other wires underground, offer economies compared to full underground. One utility has adopted such a system as a standard method of residential distribution, and it has been generally accepted by subdivision developers and community planners.