Underground Infrastructure

La Grange, Ill., secures $2 million for stormwater detention project

The proposed $8.9 million project includes the construction of 10-acre feet of underground stormwater detention. La Grange Village is actively pursuing additional funding sources to complete the financing for this essential infrastructure project.

Miller Lane water main installation project underway in Cheyenne, Wyo.

This project is part of the BOPU’s initiative to enhance water service reliability by renewing aging infrastructure. The work will be carried out by Aztec Construction Company.

Aging water infrastructure causes major water losses in Texas cities

Texas’ largest cities lost around 88 billion gallons of water last year due to old water infrastructure and extreme heat, resulting in significant financial losses and increased pressure on the state's water supply.

Xcel Energy updates $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan with undergrounding measures

Xcel Energy is making physical investments to reduce the risk of utility-caused wildfires. These measures include targeted undergrounding of power lines, line rebuilds, and non-expulsion upgrades in Tier 2 and Tier 3 risk areas.

Bluebonnet Fiber, USDA partner to expand underground broadband infrastructure in South Texas

Bluebonnet Fiber has announced a new partnership with USDA to complete pre-construction efforts for the installation of underground fiber optic cables to expand broadband access in Duval, Frio, Jim Hogg, La Salle, and Zavala counties.

Tennessee awards $17 million for infrastructure, including water and sewer upgrades

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter announced $17 million in grants for infrastructure improvements, including water and sewer upgrades.

Consumers Energy burying power lines near Standish, Mich.

Consumers Energy crews have begun the second week of a project to bury two miles of power lines near Standish, aiming to improve the region’s electric grid by protecting lines from falling trees and severe weather.

Houston faces hurdles in transitioning to underground power lines amid severe weather concerns

Given Houston's vulnerability to hurricanes, relocating power lines underground could theoretically reduce the risk of prolonged outages. However, this concept faces significant obstacles.

Berkeley pushes PG&E to bury power lines to mitigate wildfire risk

Berkeley city officials are pressing Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) to include their city in a plan to underground 10,000 miles of power lines in regions with the highest fire danger, The Berkeley Scanner reported.

Purdue University students attend 2024 Underground Infrastructure Conference in partnership with BAMI-I

A student delegation organized by Dr. Tom Iseley and Wei Liao from the Purdue/BAMI-I Underground Infrastructure team consisted of eleven Purdue University students representing the UCA (Underground Construction Association) and NASTT (North American Society for Trenchless Technology) chapters at the conference.

Google to invest $1 billion in Hawaiʻi's subsea internet infrastructure with new fiber-optic cables

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, leader of Connect Kākou, Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative, and Benji Robinson, Asia Pacific director for Google, unveiled plans for the construction of a $1 billion project to create new fiber-optic internet subsea cables.

Core & Main to acquire EGW Utilities, enhancing underground utility offerings

Core & Main Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EGW Utilities Inc., a distributor of quality products and services to underground utility contractors and municipalities, based in Texas.

Enbridge selects contractors Barnard, CBNA for Great Lakes Tunnel construction

(UI) — Enbridge selects Barnard Construction Company Inc. and Civil and Building North America Inc. to construct the Great Lakes Tunnel, safeguarding Line 5 pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac.

Underground infrastructure overhaul planned for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in Carlsbad, N.M.

A critical piece of underground infrastructure at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is about to get a makeover.

$274 million investment to improve water quality across Pennsylvania

This investment, facilitated through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, will fund 30 projects focusing on drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and non-point source issues.

Enstor eyes FERC nod to double underground gas storage capacity at Mississippi Hub

Enstor Gas LLC has submitted an application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for an expansion of its underground natural gas storage facility located in Simpson County, Mississippi.

Wisconsin’s Menominee Tribe secures funding for underground power line project

FEMA's Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant program has allocated $872,894 to support the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin's underground power line conversion initiative.

Fastwyre Broadband invests $65 million to upgrade fiber optic network in Eastern Nebraska

Fastwyre Broadband is making significant investments to upgrade its fiber-optic network in Eastern Nebraska, promising faster internet speeds and enhanced connectivity for underserved communities in the region.

Colorado Springs Utilities undertakes underground power line shift post-2021 windstorm

In Colorado Springs, efforts are underway by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to relocate power lines underground after identifying susceptibility during a windstorm in 2021.

California regulators greenlight program to accelerate electric infrastructure undergrounding

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has introduced a new initiative aimed at accelerating the undergrounding of electric distribution infrastructure across the state. This program, mandated by Senate Bill (SB) 884, targets increased system resilience and climate adaptation.

Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project

Elon Musk's Boring Company incurred fines exceeding $112,000 due to safety breaches flagged by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration during the construction of the Vegas Loop underground tunnel last year.

Consumers Energy to bury electric lines in six Michigan counties

Consumers Energy has announced the approval of a targeted undergrounding pilot program by the Michigan Public Service Commission. With a $3.7 million investment, the company plans to bury 10 miles of overhead power lines within the next year.

I&M commences reconstruction of underground power line in Muncie, Ind.

Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) representatives plan to start construction next week to rebuild an aging underground power line along Tillotson Avenue in Muncie.

Underground electric cable replacement program in Geneva, Ill., to bolster service reliability

The city of Geneva, Illinois, is set to improve the reliability of its electric service by undertaking an underground cable replacement project slated to commence in March.

Austin Energy's distribution system undergoes assessment for underground feasibility

Twin independent studies by engineering firm Burns & McDonnell will begin in March 2024 to assess the underground feasibility and overhead resiliency of Austin Energy’s distribution system.

New York State OKs $57.8 million underground transmission line linking Nanuet to West Nyack

The New York State Public Service Commission has greenlit a $57.8 million project to install a new underground transmission line spanning approximately five-and-one-half miles between the Burns substation and the West Nyack Substation in the town of Clarkstown, New York.

Exodigo, PNNL partner to advance underground power line technology

Exodigo will work with participating utilities to support GOPHURRS' mission to strengthen and modernize America's aging power grid through the development of cost-effective, high-speed, and safe undergrounding technologies.

OPALCO invests in underground power lines project in Washington's Doe Bay area

OPALCO has commenced a project to relocate overhead power lines to an underground system, covering the (temporary) Doe Bay bridge to the Eagle Lake intersection in Washington.

EPA approves underground carbon injection well construction in Indiana

These underground injection wells will be used to store carbon dioxide from nearby fertilizer production that has been captured prior to release to the atmosphere, reducing emissions that contribute to climate change.

Maryland's ambitious flood mitigation project set to break ground in Ellicott City

The Extended North Tunnel, designed to carry 26,000 gallons of stormwater per second through a mile-long, 18-foot diameter tunnel, is a crucial element in the multimillion-dollar initiative to mitigate flooding in Ellicott City, Maryland.